ONA — After just three players scored for Cabell Midland girls basketball in its loss to Ashland on Jan. 5, coach Randy Templeton said he needed more players to be involved in his team’s offense.
That focus took on additional importance on Wednesday in the Knights’ 45-36 win over visiting South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä at The Castle where the team was missing one its top scorers in Sophi Aldridge and center Jazmyn Wheeler missed much of the first half with two personal fouls.
Seven players scored for Cabell Midland in earning the team another victory in the Mountain State Athletic Conference. The Class AAAA Associated Press No. 2-ranked Knights are now 9-2 overall and 3-0 in the MSAC.
Senior Jayda Allie led the team with 10 points, the only player to reach double figures for Templeton. Wheeler drew her second foul at 1:27 of the first quarter but returned with 1:08 to go in the first half, then stayed out of foul trouble the rest of the way to finish with nine points.
Cabell Midland struggled with South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä (6-7, 1-3 MSAC) though, trailing after the first quarter and having to hold off a Black Eagles rally in the fourth period.
Natalie Smith had a game-high 19 points, with 11 of those coming during the first quarter when South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä took a 14-10 lead.
Wheeler and Smith battled under the basket throughout the game with coach Karley Walker’s center shooting 4 of 6 on foul shots in the opening period and going 3 for 3 from the field.
In the second half, Cabell Midland adjusted defensively to deny Smith the ball.
“[Cabell Midland] upped the ball pressure a lot and then we got a little bit tired toward the end of the game, so we weren’t necessarily getting her all the way inside like we should have been,†Walker said. “That was really the biggest difference.â€
Walker said when Wheeler went to the bench in foul trouble, her team missed an opportunity to build on its first-quarter lead.
Instead, Cabell Midland outscored South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä 15-7 in the second quarter with Smith getting two points.
The Knights got a 3-pointer to open the quarter from Katelyn Cremeans off the bench to cut the Black Eagles’ lead to 14-13. Jordyn Taylor and Josie Davis each scored to open an 8-0 lead to start the second for Midland.
Smith and Kyra Brown added layups for the Black Eagles, the only other field goals her team got during the period. Brown finished the game with 11 points.
Desiree Thomas and Smith connected on a pair of layups to start the fourth period as South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä cut its deficit to 37-32 with 6:18 to play.
The Knights’ defense proved too much as it limited the Black Eagles to two more field goals the rest of the way.
“We went to four guards and one post, and we matched up much better with them,†Templeton said. “We started matching up with their guards where they couldn’t make their drives and couldn’t get the ball in to [Smith].â€
The matchup was the second of the year between the teams. Cabell Midland defeated the Black Eagles in South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä on Nov. 29 to open its season, but that game did not count in the MSAC standings.
