Senior Whitney Hopp, right, listens closely to Coach Mark Bottom with other players being sent in during the final minutes of the Cambridge game. Hopp was among the senior starters Saturday in their final home appearance of the season. (Johnson Publications photo)
Ashley Bubak attempts to move the ball up court, but was fouled by this Cambridge player Saturday in Chase County’s final home game of the season. (Johnson Publications photo)
Allison Owings had a strong first half for the Lady Longhorns. Most of her seven points against Cambridge came in the first quarter. (Johnson Publications photo)
Second half Cambridge offense cripples Lady Longhorns
A first half that indicated the game would go down to the wire quickly changed in the second half for Chase County’s girls in a contest with Cambridge Saturday.
“They shot lights out,” said Chase County Coach Mark Bottom.
He was speaking of the seven three-pointers Cambridge players rang up second half, four of them in the third quarter. Another three treys early in the fourth extended their 20-point lead.
In the end, Chase County lost the 41-62 game to the Lady Trojans, who are 17-5 on the season.
Chase County never led in the game, but it was tied three times in the first quarter before the first ended with a 15-14 Cambridge lead.
The quarter ended in a roar from Chase County’s crowd as Mallie McNair hit her second three-pointer at the buzzer, pulling the Lady Longhorns within one.
Second quarter proved to be just as close for most of it, although Cambridge had a six-point lead with 1:25 left before the half.
But two key free throws from McNair and a turn-around jump shot from Allison Owings with three seconds left pulled Chase County within two, 24-26, as the second quarter ended.
After half, though, it seemed Cambridge couldn’t miss, especially on their treys.
Hitting a couple quick buckets and a free throw, Cambridge quickly was up 31-24 before two minutes were gone. They hit their first three at the 6:10 mark, and led 34-24 before McNair hit a bucket to drop the deficit back to eight.
Taking the ball, Cambridge hit their second three and never looked back. They capped a 25-point quarter with two more treys the final two minutes of the third, and led 51-35.
While Chase County hit two more treys of their own the fourth quarter, that would be their only scoring as Cambridge dumped in three treys and another basket to finish with a 21-point win.
Coach Bottom said they switched between a zone and man defense to contend with Cambridge’s three-point shooting, “but it didn’t matter,” he said.
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