Lady Mustangs return to court for 10th victory; top Hillsboro
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Both the Hillsboro Lady Indians and the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs returned to the court after a week or so off due to the holiday break. That said, after getting back into the swing of things during the first quarter, it was LC who was able to regain some momentum in the next three frames for a 65-35 score.
The non-league contest saw the Lady Mustangs, who improved to 10-1 overall, lead 18-8 at the conclusion of the first quarter, scoring the first five points of the game, including a 3-pointer from Hannah Binkley at the 5:25 mark for the five-point lead.
Hillsboro (1-8) scored their first points of the game with Sydney Bobbitt sinking a put-back basket the 4:37 mark. From there, Lexi Waits added a point with a free throw for the Lady Mustangs, but that was answered with two points in the paint from Kaley Burns to bring HHS to within a 6-4 deficit.
As the rest of the first quarter continued, McKayla Binkley sank a 3-pointer at the 3:16 mark of the opening frame, and later LC followed that with a 3-pointer from Zoe Fittro for a 12-6 advantage. Following a jumper by Kelsey Bobbitt for the Lady Indians, LC ended the first frame with five straight points by Hannah Binkley, including another 3-pointer for the aforementioned 18-8 lead. Binkley finished with 14 points, along with five rebounds, four steals and three assists.
The Lady Mustangs outscored the Lady Indians 16-6, with LC scoring the first six points of the second frame with the scoring trio of Hannah and McKayla Binkley plus Peyton Scott to increase the lead to 24-8. McKayla Binkley led all scorers with 20 points, including a total of five 3-pointers. She also totaled nine rebounds and four steals.
[[In-content Ad]]
Taylor Chaney broke the scoring streak by LC with a two-point basket, but LC was there to answer with a 3-pointer by McKayla Binkley for a 17-point advantage at 27-10.
HHS came back with a basket by Kelsey Burns, but LC was there again with a 7-2 run in the final 2:02 of the second frame for a 34-14 lead at the half.
“We came out kind of slow,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Whitney Lewis said. “This is our first game back from break, so we’re trying to get back in the groove of things. We came out with not as much intensity as we needed to. That picked up in the second quarter, especially on the defensive side of the basketball.
“The second half, we came out with a little more intensity, and I think we started hitting a little bit more shots. It just felt like we weren’t in the flow of the game, and I was telling the kids in the locker room they shot pretty well from the floor, but it just didn’t feel like everything was in a flow. So I was glad to get kind of back into that in the second half and hopefully keep going as we get started on the second half of the season.”
The third frame went in favor of the Lady Mustangs by a 16-11 score, as both teams played with more intensity as the game continued. HHS scored first in the third frame with a jumper by Natalie Sullivan, but Hannah Binkley answered with a two-point basket to move the LC lead back to 22 points with 6:03 left in the quarter.
Chaney followed that with two points for HHS, but Scott came back with a 3-pointer at the 5:36 mark for a 23-point lead. That trey was answered with a 3-pointer by Lana Grover of HHS and a basket by Sullivan, as she led HHS with 10 points.
“We’ve been struggling from the field, and we missed several point-blank shots I thought that maybe could have changed the complexion early on,” Hillsboro head coach JR Moberly said. “We talked at halftime, if we make five of those and we limit five of their transition layups, it’s a tie game, and that changes the complexion of the game."
Moberly praised his team’s overall effort, as their leading scorer, Kaley Burns, was sidelined with an injury during the game, while another leading scorer, Madi Marsh, did not play Thursday.
“I was really pleased with our kids’ effort,” he said. “We played the bulk of the game with six kids. Kaley Burns got hurt and Madi Marsh was not able to play tonight too, and those two have been two of our three leading scorers all year. I was really pleased with the effort of the rest of the girls. We got some contributions tonight from some of our younger girls as well.
“I was pleased with our effort. We’ve just got to get better at shooting the basketball and finishing.”
Scott connected with another 3-pointer in the third with 2:39 left on the clock, pushing the Lady Mustangs ahead 42-23. Scott ended the game with 16 points, eight steals, five rebounds and two assists.
After two points by Sullivan, LC ended the third frame with an 8-0 run in a span of 2:07 with 3-pointers from Hannah and McKayla Binkley and a jumper by Abby Blankenship for a 50-25 score at the end of three quarters.
In the fourth frame, LC outscored the Lady Indians, 15-10 with LC gaining points from McKayla Binkley, beginning the quarter with a 3-pointer, a three-point play by Scott and points from Keyara Oaks and Blankenship.
Hillsboro had points from Sullivan, Mckenzie Cosby, Taylor Chaney and Kayden Watson in the fourth.
Following the game, each coach spoke about their team’s progress as they head into the second half of their season, as the Lady Mustangs are halfway through their schedule.
“I’m very pleased with where we are,” Lewis said. “When we play at our best, we’re very, very difficult to beat, and I don’t think there’s a night that we give up or we don’t play with that effort. There’s little spurts, but we always find a way to turn that around, so I’m really happy with that.
“I’m hoping to try to remedy where we don’t have to play with those spurts where we kind of have that letdown, so we’ll work on that the second half of the season. We have some big games coming up in January we’re looking forward to.”
The Lady Indians have played nine games, and Moberly said his team is “seeing some growth” as they look ahead to the rest of the season.
“We’ve still got a lot of quality opponents out there on the horizon,” Moberly said. “We’ve got Chillicothe coming in next week, so we’ve got a lot to work toward and work for, but I’m pleased with the way we played tonight, for the most part. I thought we did a good job in a lot of respects. We still had some breakdowns, but we’re seeing some growth.”
LC will play again on Jan. 5 at West Union in Southern Hills Athletic Conference play. The Lady Indians will next play in South Central Ohio League action vs. Chillicothe on Jan. 4 at HHS.
The non-league contest saw the Lady Mustangs, who improved to 10-1 overall, lead 18-8 at the conclusion of the first quarter, scoring the first five points of the game, including a 3-pointer from Hannah Binkley at the 5:25 mark for the five-point lead.
Hillsboro (1-8) scored their first points of the game with Sydney Bobbitt sinking a put-back basket the 4:37 mark. From there, Lexi Waits added a point with a free throw for the Lady Mustangs, but that was answered with two points in the paint from Kaley Burns to bring HHS to within a 6-4 deficit.
As the rest of the first quarter continued, McKayla Binkley sank a 3-pointer at the 3:16 mark of the opening frame, and later LC followed that with a 3-pointer from Zoe Fittro for a 12-6 advantage. Following a jumper by Kelsey Bobbitt for the Lady Indians, LC ended the first frame with five straight points by Hannah Binkley, including another 3-pointer for the aforementioned 18-8 lead. Binkley finished with 14 points, along with five rebounds, four steals and three assists.
The Lady Mustangs outscored the Lady Indians 16-6, with LC scoring the first six points of the second frame with the scoring trio of Hannah and McKayla Binkley plus Peyton Scott to increase the lead to 24-8. McKayla Binkley led all scorers with 20 points, including a total of five 3-pointers. She also totaled nine rebounds and four steals.
[[In-content Ad]]
Taylor Chaney broke the scoring streak by LC with a two-point basket, but LC was there to answer with a 3-pointer by McKayla Binkley for a 17-point advantage at 27-10.
HHS came back with a basket by Kelsey Burns, but LC was there again with a 7-2 run in the final 2:02 of the second frame for a 34-14 lead at the half.
“We came out kind of slow,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Whitney Lewis said. “This is our first game back from break, so we’re trying to get back in the groove of things. We came out with not as much intensity as we needed to. That picked up in the second quarter, especially on the defensive side of the basketball.
“The second half, we came out with a little more intensity, and I think we started hitting a little bit more shots. It just felt like we weren’t in the flow of the game, and I was telling the kids in the locker room they shot pretty well from the floor, but it just didn’t feel like everything was in a flow. So I was glad to get kind of back into that in the second half and hopefully keep going as we get started on the second half of the season.”
The third frame went in favor of the Lady Mustangs by a 16-11 score, as both teams played with more intensity as the game continued. HHS scored first in the third frame with a jumper by Natalie Sullivan, but Hannah Binkley answered with a two-point basket to move the LC lead back to 22 points with 6:03 left in the quarter.
Chaney followed that with two points for HHS, but Scott came back with a 3-pointer at the 5:36 mark for a 23-point lead. That trey was answered with a 3-pointer by Lana Grover of HHS and a basket by Sullivan, as she led HHS with 10 points.
“We’ve been struggling from the field, and we missed several point-blank shots I thought that maybe could have changed the complexion early on,” Hillsboro head coach JR Moberly said. “We talked at halftime, if we make five of those and we limit five of their transition layups, it’s a tie game, and that changes the complexion of the game."
Moberly praised his team’s overall effort, as their leading scorer, Kaley Burns, was sidelined with an injury during the game, while another leading scorer, Madi Marsh, did not play Thursday.
“I was really pleased with our kids’ effort,” he said. “We played the bulk of the game with six kids. Kaley Burns got hurt and Madi Marsh was not able to play tonight too, and those two have been two of our three leading scorers all year. I was really pleased with the effort of the rest of the girls. We got some contributions tonight from some of our younger girls as well.
“I was pleased with our effort. We’ve just got to get better at shooting the basketball and finishing.”
Scott connected with another 3-pointer in the third with 2:39 left on the clock, pushing the Lady Mustangs ahead 42-23. Scott ended the game with 16 points, eight steals, five rebounds and two assists.
After two points by Sullivan, LC ended the third frame with an 8-0 run in a span of 2:07 with 3-pointers from Hannah and McKayla Binkley and a jumper by Abby Blankenship for a 50-25 score at the end of three quarters.
In the fourth frame, LC outscored the Lady Indians, 15-10 with LC gaining points from McKayla Binkley, beginning the quarter with a 3-pointer, a three-point play by Scott and points from Keyara Oaks and Blankenship.
Hillsboro had points from Sullivan, Mckenzie Cosby, Taylor Chaney and Kayden Watson in the fourth.
Following the game, each coach spoke about their team’s progress as they head into the second half of their season, as the Lady Mustangs are halfway through their schedule.
“I’m very pleased with where we are,” Lewis said. “When we play at our best, we’re very, very difficult to beat, and I don’t think there’s a night that we give up or we don’t play with that effort. There’s little spurts, but we always find a way to turn that around, so I’m really happy with that.
“I’m hoping to try to remedy where we don’t have to play with those spurts where we kind of have that letdown, so we’ll work on that the second half of the season. We have some big games coming up in January we’re looking forward to.”
The Lady Indians have played nine games, and Moberly said his team is “seeing some growth” as they look ahead to the rest of the season.
“We’ve still got a lot of quality opponents out there on the horizon,” Moberly said. “We’ve got Chillicothe coming in next week, so we’ve got a lot to work toward and work for, but I’m pleased with the way we played tonight, for the most part. I thought we did a good job in a lot of respects. We still had some breakdowns, but we’re seeing some growth.”
LC will play again on Jan. 5 at West Union in Southern Hills Athletic Conference play. The Lady Indians will next play in South Central Ohio League action vs. Chillicothe on Jan. 4 at HHS.