By Jayson Larson Sports Editor
The Rains Lady Wildcats took a close basketball game and moved it inside.
As in, inside the lane. It worked.
The Lady Wildcats (4-2) scored 20 of their 22 third-quarter points in the lane to break open a close game in a 73-60 win over the Athens Lady Hornets Friday night at AHS Gym.
The Lady Hornets (2-2) trailed only by a point heading into the third quarter but couldn’t find a way to stop the Lady Wildcats from dominating in the paint. Rains fed the Lady Hornets a steady diet of Bailey Moon (22 points), Chelsea Hudson (14 points) and Cassy Maxville (12 points) in the lane to take control of the game.
Athens was outscored, 22-13, in the third. The difference gave the Lady Wildcats a 56-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Head Coach Austin Durrett’s Lady Hornets made a run at the lead by going on a 9-2 run that included a pair of buckets by Alex Furr and one basket each from Nicole Graham and Amber Coby.
Furr’s bucket with three minutes to go off the third of five straight Rains turnovers cut the lead to 67-60. But it was the final Lady Hornet points of the night.
Furr played with a taped-up left hand that appeared to bother her at times during the game. She still scored a game-high 42 points — marking the third time in four games this season she has eclipsed the 40-point mark. The Fresno State signee is averaging 43.5 points per game this season.
Graham had a solid game for the Lady Hornets, as well, pitching in 12 points. With the Lady Wildcats leading 8-4 early, Graham caught fire and ripped off eight of Athens’ final 10 points of the first quarter to keep the game close.
In junior varsity action, the Lady Hornets fell to the Lady Wildcats, 47-11. Delia Hernandez led the way with five points, LaQuaysha Minifee finished with four and Amondraa Hornbuckle had two.
The Lady Hornets return to action Tuesday at AHS Gym to cap their three-game home streak against Robert E. Lee. JV will start at 5:30 p.m. and varsity is scheduled to start around 7.
