CSAS tops Scotts Hill in Class A

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- It didn't take brilliant halftime adjustments to inspire the Arts & Sciences girls' basketball team. All Lady Patriots coach Clay Martin needed to do was to remind them that they had packed their bags for a four-day stay, which meant they needed a second-half rally unless they were ready to go back home.

That was enough to ignite the Lady Patriots, who dominated the final 12 minutes and claimed a 58-39 victory over Scotts Hill in the quarterfinals of the Class A state tournament at Middle Tennessee State University's Murphy Center.

The Lady Patriots, who were making their state tournament debut, will play Moore County in Friday's semifinals at 12:30. Moore County defeated Wayne County 51-42 Wednesday.

"I packed a lot of clothes and stuff for the week and really didn't want to think about having to go back without even unpacking it all," Lady Patriots senior Kayla Kelly said. "I don't know why but we were in kind of a daze in the first half and we were lucky to only be down by four at halftime."

CSAS scored the first five points of the game but then struggled to find an offensive rhythm, making just 30-percent of its field goals before halftime. The four-point deficit was the first time this season the Lady Patriots trailed a Class A opponent that late.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Kelly sparked the offense two minutes into the second half with a steal which she converted into a three-point play that gave the Lady Patriots their first lead since the opening minute of the second quarter.

CSAS took control with a 13-0 run in the final 3:55 of the third quarter and held the Lady Lions without a field goal for eight minutes before Brittany Montgomery's 3-pointer with 4:21 remaining. By that time, CSAS had built its lead to 12 and it never fell below 11 the rest of the way.

"When we started being more aggressive, getting to the basket and pressuring them, I could hear them getting mad at each other and that's when I thought we were in good shape," CSAS senior point guard Alexis Anderson said.

The Lady Lions struggled with CSAS' quickness and constant pressure in the second half as three starters fouled out and another finished the game with four fouls. Scotts Hill also turned the ball over 22 times and made just 4 of 25 field goals in the second half.

"We just couldn't contain their speed," Scotts Hill coach Tracy Chandler said. "A lot of our inability to make shots was because of their defensive pressure and how they contested every shot.

"They played a great second half and were just the better team."

TSSAA Class A girls state tournament

Quarterfinal game

ARTS & SCIENCES 58, SCOTTS HILL 39

Scotts Hill 11 12 9 7 -- 39

Arts & Sciences 15 4 22 17 -- 58

Scotts Hill (39) -- Brittany Montgomery 17, Thompson 6, Wyatt 4, Hayes 2, Brittany Bailey 10, Anderson, Carter, C. Bailey, K. Bailey, Beecham.

Arts & Sciences (58) -- Robin Anthony 15, Anderson 8, Chariah Gordon 10, Kayla Kelly 11, Courtney McPherson 1, Wesley 3, McConnell, Garner, Gray-Timmons, Ziegler.

3-point goals: Scotts Hill 5 (Montgomery 3, B. Bailey 2); CSAS 3 (Gordon 2, Anthony). Records: CSAS 28-6; Scotts Hill 28-6.