ATHENS —
Talk about playing tough down the stretch.
The Athens Lady Hornets blew open a close game in the third quarter on the way to a 63-46 win over the Rusk Lady Eagles Friday night at AHS Gym on Senior Night. The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Lady Hornets (14-14, 3-4 in District 17-3A) just one season after they went 6-22 and won only one district game.
“It’s awesome — this is a great feeling,” Athens head coach Jay Puempel said. “We hope to continue to do this every year.”
The Lady Hornets held leads after the first and second quarters, but Rusk (8-17, 2-5) used an 11-0 run to take a 35-33 lead on two free throws by Tink Hunter in the third.
Eight seconds later, Athens junior Demi Cumby tied the game at 35-35 with a layup at the 1:32 mark.
Then she hit another layup.
And then another, this one off a baseball pass from Cari Aguilera, who had just pulled down a rebound.
Just like that, Athens took a 39-35 lead heading into the fourth quarter. But the fun didn’t stop there for the Lady Hornets.
Cumby’s first layup sparked a 22-2 run that stretched late into the fourth quarter. During the six-and-a-half-minute blitz, Cumby scored 16 of her game-high 36 points.
And when the blitz ended, the celebration marking the Lady Hornets’ return to the playoffs could all but begin.
“I definitely didn’t see that coming,” Puempel said of the 22-2 run that put the game away. “It looked like we were going to have a tight game the whole way. The girls just stepped up. This is a huge step for us.”
Cari Aguilera was fierce on the boards, finishing with nine rebounds to go along with seven points. Avery Phillips, one of four Athens seniors playing her final regular season home game, had six points and five rebounds.
Seniors Regina Morgan, Sarah Wilson and Amber Coby were also honored.
The Lady Hornets close out the regular season Tuesday at Chapel Hill.
Athens 63, Rusk 46
Rusk 7 15 13 11 — 46
Athens 12 16 11 24 — 63
RUSK — Tink Hunter 14; Kelsey Blankinship 10; Kirsten Fuller 8; Destinee Morris 7; Justin Johnson 3; Khiana Starling 2; Chelsea Cheney 2.
ATHENS — Demi Cumby 36; Cari Aguilera 7; Avery Phillips 6; Amber Coby 4; Leah Lawrence 4; Shelby Sims 4; Bryla Barker 2.
THREE-POINTERS — Rusk (4) — Morris 2; Blankinship 2. Athens (5) — Cumby 5.
FREE THROWS — Rusk 8-18 (Hunter 4-5). Athens 4-10 (Cumby 3-5).
TEAM FOULS — Rusk 10. Athens 17.
RECORDS — Rusk 8-17, 2-5. Athens 14-14, 3-4
DISTRICT 17-3A
GIRLS STANDINGS
Bullard 22-9 7-0
Brownsboro 22-7 6-2
Athens 14-14 3-4
Rusk 8-17 2-5
Chapel Hill 8-17 0-7
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