WBB: Traylor, Lady Dawgs roll past Henderson
Henderson's Ravon Mallard (11) as she drives in for a shot during
Friday's game against the Lady Lions. (Photo by John Krueger)
CARTHAGE, Tx -- Chasity Traylor scored 15 of her game-high 18 points in the opening period as the Carthage Lady Bulldogs took a 13-point first-quarter lead, widened the lead to 21 at the half and then coasted from there in a 55-34 win over Henderson here in Bulldog Gymnasium Friday night.
The victory was the second straight in District 16-3A for the Lady Dawgs as they improved to 15-11 overall, 3-2 in league play, moving into a three-way tie for second place in the league standings. Carthage is now tied with Gilmer (7-9) and Spring Hill (6-18) with identical 3-2 marks, two games behind Pittsburgh (5-0).
Henderson (7-16) dropped to 1-4 against district competition and into fifth place, one game ahead of Gladewater (4-12, 0-5 district).
Traylor not only helped get the Lady Bulldogs' defense to force 10 first-half Henderson turnovers, but the junior guard scored 10 of her team's 20 points in the first quarter as the CHS took a 20-7 lead after eight minutes.
The Lady Lions scored the first 14 points of the game. Henderson finally got on the scoreboard with 3:23 left in the period on a three-pointer by LaBreashia Smith. Smith then hit another trey to cut the CHS lead to 14-6 with 2:48 left in the quarter.
But Traylor added a pair of layups as the Lady Bulldogs went on a 6-1 run over the final 1:43 of the quarter to stretch the lead back to 13 points.
Traylor and Emilee McLin both scored five points in the second quarter, while the Lady Bulldogs forced six Lady Lion turnovers to widen the lead to 36-15 at the break. Carthage scored eight of its 16 points in the paint, added 5-of-6 from the charity stripe and Traylor knocked down a three pointer as CHS built a lead that Henderson couldn't overcome.
In the second half Henderson went to the line 16 times, converting 11, but it wasn't enough as the Lady Bulldogs coasted to the 21-point victory.
CHS led by as many 26 points, 45-19, in the third before settling for a 45-21 lead heading into the final quarter.
After the Lady Dawgs stretched the lead to 47-23, the Lady Lions outscored Carthage 10-4 over a span of 2:24 of the final period trim the advantage to 16, 49-33, before the Lady Bulldogs went on a 6-1 run over the final 1:49.
In addition to Traylor's scoring output, Tambra Mitchell added 12 points for the Lady Bulldogs, with Salena Robinson dropping in eight, McLin scoring six, C.K. Williams scoring five and Jarnai Hill, Jackie Jackson and Kamry Smith pitching in two apiece.
Smith and Codie Whitehead each scored eight points to lead the Lady Lions. Raven Partin threw in six points, Kierra Chancey and Jaci Hurt added five each and Ravon Mallard and Latrice Roquemore scoring one point apiece.
Carthage will return to action Tuesday night when the Lady Bulldogs travel to Gladewater to try to keep pace in the 16-3A playoff chase with five games remaining. Henderson will visit Gilmer.