Cody Dalton
Sports Writer
APPALACHIA – Bulldogs coach Angela Honeycutt used timeouts in key moments in their game against Cumberland on Wednesday. Those timeouts helped the Lady Bulldogs make runs and overcome a big deficit late. The Bulldogs avenged an earlier loss in the season to the Lady Skins, 47-38.
Early on in the game, Appalachia (10-6) would gain the lead thanks to Lauren Howard. The senior would score a lay up and a free throw, while assisting Brittany Craft for a lay up of her own.
The Lady Skins (10-8) would respond. Guards Stephanie Whitt and Kendra Russell powered Cumberland’s offense. The two would score all nine of the Lady Skins points. It was 9-7 in favor of Cumberland after one quarter.
The two teams continued their pace early on in the second quarter. Each team matched the other shot for shot until the score was 13-12. Then, Whitt and post player Samantha Sexton would score six points to end the half with a 19-12 Cumberland lead.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Lady Bulldogs knew they needed to respond. After an early Bulldogs timeout and the score 21-14, Appalachia responded in just over a minute. Howard would score twice, while also getting fouled on one basket. Craft also added a lay up to help tie the score at 21-21.
“You’ve got to work harder when you are tired,” Howard said. “Coach told us that we needed to there at the end. You know you have heart when you push yourself at the end of the game.”
The quarter would end with both teams answering one another, but Cumberland’s held a one point advantage, 27-26.
Appalachia began the final stanza the same way it began the previous one. Coach Angela Honeycutt would take a timeout to rest her players and make a game plan.
“Coach told us to keep our heads in the game,” Howard said. “We have a lot of problems keeping our heads in the game and creating a lot of mental mistakes when we are tired.”
“I try to use my timeouts just to rest up my team,” Honeycutt said. “We try to push the ball a lot. So usually, we take time outs to rest ourselves. I try to also get a good set play coming out for our key people. We did that tonight. We were smart enough to get the ball to Lauren [Howard] and Brittany Craft was strong too”
The move proved to be a smart one, as the Bulldogs would go on huge run against their opponents. With the game tied at 32-32 midway through the fourth, the Bulldogs run began.
Howard, who had just returned from her fourth foul, would score at will against the Lady Skins. The senior would score seven of the Bulldogs final 14 points. She ended the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bulldogs would outscore the Lady Skins 14-6 over the final four minutes in the game, giving Appalachia their tenth win of the season.
Coach Honeycutt credits her team with playing a much better game overall than they have been.
“I thought we played good team ball,” Honeycutt said. “I thought we played smarter. I think we finally got out of our rut and looked halfway decent at times. Hopefully, we can carry that on to Friday night.”
John Bond, coach of Cumberland, gives credit to Appalachia’s performance and was disappointed in his team’s lack of aggression.
“Appalachia came to play tonight and played with a lot of intensity,” Bond said. “They were aggressive and executed really well there. Our kids didn’t respond or stand up there in the second half. That was the difference in the ball game. Basketball is a physical and aggressive game. That is the way you have got to play it.”
Honeycutt was also pleased with the reemergence of Howard, who is the team’s best post player.
“Lauren went missing on us the last two ball games,” Honeycutt said. “I told her yesterday in practice that she had to reappear in order for us to be successful. She showed up tonight to play ball. I hope she stays that way through the rest of the season. If she does, we’ll be alright.”
CUMBERLAND, KY (38)
Russell 7, Gilliam 4, Whitt 13, Maggard 4, Sexton 4, Tinsley 6
APPALACHIA (47)
Boyd 6, Craft 10, Estridge 4, Boggs 2, Howard 19, Mullins 6
Cumberland 9 10 8 11 47
Appalachia 7 5 14 21 38
Three-point goals – Appalachia 2 (Craft, Mullins), Cumberland 1 (Russell)
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