By JAYSON KNIGHT
Stuart High School started their basketball season Tuesday night on their own court against both the Moss girls’ and boys’ teams. The Lady Hornets started the action against the Lady Pirates.
The Lady Pirates jumped to an early lead and never relented. Led primarily by offensively instinctive point guard Kyra Underwood, the Lady Pirates were on point and in control throughout the game.
The Lady Hornets had glimpses of brilliance with Angie Lawson ripping the ball away from would-be scorers. Steals by Lady Hornets’ Kayli Blasengame were utilized well by putting the ball in the hands of Lawson, who found her way to the bucket in traffic often but not regularly enough to pull out the win. Lawson’s defensive aggressiveness was displayed as she dove for every loose ball.
After a competitive first quarter, the Lady Pirates had a 16-8 lead and never looked back.
The Lady Pirates continued to have a great game. Underwood shined throughout the first three quarters. She took off like a rocket in grabbing an interception on an in-bound pass late in the second quarter.
Underwood’s star power was out-gleamed only by resilient teammate Bailee Cartwright, who was fouled hard and often. She showed the ability to go up for the rebound and put it back up, which ultimately, kept the momentum from swaying.
Cartwright and Underwood were just two cogs in a basketball machine though, as the Lady Pirates bested the Lady Hornets, 78-33.
Stuart playmaker Lawson said the next time they are in a competitive game, she will “block out better, rebound better, and really, just work harder on defense.”
Head Coach Bob Sifers of the Lady Pirates spoke on the effort of the Lady Hornets, “They played hard. The score doesn’t reflect how hard [the Lady Hornets] played. We just came out very strong in the second half.”
Stuart’s coach Melinda Dobson said after the game, “I’m proud of the intensity they showed. They’re playing hard and we will be contenders.”
After all that intensity, the action was only half over as the guys took the court. The Hornets scored first with a precision-guided three from Turner Brewer.
A jumpshot from the Pirates’ Ben Larney put the first points for Moss on the board. The third and fourth points were from Larney as well, with a lay-up. That gave the Pirates their only lead of the game.
Stuart jumped back in front with a jumpshot by Colton Chapman. Despite a notable jumpshot from Michael Olivo of Moss, the first quarter ended 14-10, Hornets.
A piece of offensive artwork on an assist by Zach Tiger left the Stuart defense turning their heads from side to side, but it wasn’t long before the Hornets began pouring it on. Bo Mabray and Zach Medley led the charge to victory with Brewer adding the occasional three just for good measure. Cody Robinson of Moss was a force throughout the game and worked the ball around to his teammates, but the Pirates would finish the night on a bad note.
“Stuart’s a good ball club,” Moss’s boys Head Coach Chris Jones said “They are a top team in class A, but we just had too many turnovers to have a chance.”
Winning 68-46, the Stuart Hornets’ head coach Trent Tidwell said after the game, “We played some good defense, but we did put them on the line too much. I said I’d be pleased with a twenty point win, so I guess 22 will do.”
Contact Jayson Knight at jknight@mcalesternews.com
