The Baylor School girls’ basketball team has lost once to an area foe this season.
The Lady Red Raiders know their ultimate goal of a state championship almost assuredly means toppling the top-ranked Brentwood Academy Lady Eagles.
“They have the best post player in our league, and no question it goes through them,” Baylor coach John Gibson said after top-ranked Brentwood Academy handed his eighth-ranked girls a 59-50 loss Tuesday. “You can get too caught up in their size, and it bothered us tonight.”
Baylor (16-9) started quickly against BA (27-1). The Lady Red Raiders hit four 3s in the first quarter, and their perimeter success negated Brentwood Academy’s inside force Bria Dial.
Dial and the experienced Lady Eagles never wavered, though, turning an eight-point deficit into a halftime lead with an impressive 19-7 run through the second quarter.
“We have a couple of stretches every game,” Gibson said, “when we get away from things that we do well.
“But a lot of that goes to Brentwood, too. They are the No. 1 team in the state for a reason.”
Baylor mounted one final charge midway through the fourth quarter. Kayleigh Clemons assisted on back-to-back baskets and converted a running bank shot in transition for a 46-45 lead with a little more than five minutes left.
As they have done all season, the veteran visitors responded. They turned to Dial, and she scored five consecutive points to reclaim the lead for good as the Lady Eagles closed on a 14-4 run.
* Brentwood Academy 65, Baylor 39: Maybe Chattanooga native Jeremiah Oatsvall should consider moving back to his hometown. Oatsvall, the sophomore quarterback who led the Eagles to a thrilling 38-31 win over Baylor last October, was part of a balanced and impressive flock of Eagles that invaded Baylor on Tuesday.
Oatsvall had 11 points, five rebounds and three assists as the No. 2-ranked Eagles (24-2) used a 12-0 second-quarter run to pull away from Baylor.
“They’re good, and they’ve got all the things you look for,” Baylor coach Austin Clark said. “And they are really young — so the more experience they get the better they look.”
Oatsvall was one three Eagles scoring in double figures. Freshman point guard Darius Garland scored a game-high 17 points and junior shooter Parker Suedekum had 11.
John Whaley and Spencer King each scored seven to lead the Red Raiders (11-10).
“When your shots don’t fall, it can be tough,” Clark said, “and that can lead to letdowns on defense. But I was proud of how we continued to fight to the end.”
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.