Kaydence Miller picks up the Summertown ball handler at the top of the key and provides the Cascade defense in the half-court. (Post Photos by Chris Siers)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
BELL BUCKLE — After building a 21-14 lead at one point in the second quarter, the Cascade Lady Champions found themselves in a frigid shooting span that allowed Summertown to leapfrog out in front in the second quater.
Despite the Lady Eagles taking control on a 14-3 run to end the first half, Cascade battled back and had two separate chances to cut the Summertown lead to a single possession in the closing minutes, but just couldn’t come through with the needed shots and saw their season come to a close with a 42-33 loss in the Region 5-2A semifinals.
The first half was nothing short of a rollercoaster for the two teams as Summertown built a 7-2 lead barely three minutes into regulation.
While the Lady Eagles relied on a pressure defense and its size in the paint to build the early lead, Cascade’s Kaegan Young put the Lady Champs on her back and came through with back-to-back treys, the second of which gave Cascade a one-point lead with 4:47 left in the first.
While Summertow
Sophie Ray plows through the Lady Eagle defense that collapses in the paint and forces up a shot. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
n attempted to work the ball to its bigs in the post, Cascade’s half-court defense forced several Lady Eagle miscues, which in turn, created extra possessions for the Lady Champs.
With Young flashing the hot hand early, Lizzie Keele became an additional scoring threat for Cascade and tacked on six points in the first.
She was effective in getting to the free throw line and made good on a perfect 4-of-4 attempts.
After pushing the lead out to 17-11, Sophie Ray banked her first basket with 7:05 left in the second, only for Summertown’s Rylie Blackwood to stop the bleeding for the Lady Eagles with a much-needed 3-pointer.
Ray again answered with a basket to give Cascade a 21-14 lead with 5:32 left in the half—and that’s when the offense went ice cold.
Summertown didn’t particularly light the offense on fire, but did close the first half on a 14-3 run to take a 25-22 lead into the half.
The Lady Eagles didn’t noticeably change the defensive schemes, but Cascade simply struggled to get shots to fall while in the half-court.
The Lady Champions only managed five points on two field goals in the second quarter.
Although Cascade’s offense went cold, the defensive pressure did not and the third quarter was just the complement the Lady Champs needed with struggles scoring.
Cascade held Summertown to just seven points in the third period.
After scoring just two points through the first five minutes, Laina Carter charged the basket and scored on a layup to cut Summertown’s lead to 32-24 with 2:50 left in the third.
Young then hit a pair of free throws with just over two minutes to go in the quarter, but Cascade was unable to cut any further into Summertown’s lead, as the Lady Eagles’ 32-28 lead held strong.
Ray gave Cascade a shot in the arm and opened the fourth quarter by taking a charge, giving Summertown’s Abbie Shaffer her fourth.
With 6:12 left in the game, Blackwood drew a foul and only made the front end of the two free throw attempts, but the Lady Eagles came up with the rebound.
With a five-point lead in hand, the tactics changed and Summertown held possession, wanting to draw fouls.
Kaegan Young draws heavy contact as she goes to the basket. She had a game-high 18 points. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
After milking nearly three minutes off the clock, the scoring drought finally ended with a basket by Lauren Howell to bump the Lady Eagle lead to 35-28.
Needing an answer to stay in the game, Young drilled a 3-pointer to again cut the lead to four points, but with time dwindling, Cascade was forced to foul.
For two possessions in a row, Cascade got what it needed with a foul and two missed free throw attempts, but simply wasn’t able to get clean looks at the basket.
Turnovers also plagued Cascade over the final 2:30 of the game.
While Summertown came up with some key misses at the line inside of two minutes to go, the Lady Eagles closed the game going 7-of-10 attempts at the free throw line to finish off the nine-point win to advance to the Region 5-2A championship game.
Kaegan Young led all scorers with 18 points and cashed in on three 3-pointers on seven attempts, while going 5-of-7 from the free throw line.
As a team, the Lady Champs went 9-for-11, while Summertown finished 14-of-22.
Ella Busby and Blackwood led Summertown with 10 points each.
Monday night’s semifinal marked the end of what’s been a fantastic run through the season for the Lady Champs, who finished the year as District 9-2A runners-up.
Cascade closes the season with a 14-14 overall record.
Cascade 17 5 6 5 — 33
Summertown 11 14 7 10 — 42
Cascade: Kaegan Young 18, Lizzie Keele 7, Sophie Ray 4, Laina Carter 4.
Summertown: Ella Busby 10, Rylie Blackwood 10, Abbie Shaffer 7, Lauren Howell 6, Hannah Jones 5, Gabi Long 4.
3-Point goals: Summertown (3): Howell, Blackwood, Jones; Cascade (4): Young 3, Keele.
Halftime score: Summertown 25, Cascade 22.
