For the first time in program history the Soddy Daisy girls’ basketball team is back-to-back district tournament champions.
After a slow start, Gabby Spencer took control, accounting for 24 of her game-high 26 points from the two-minute mark of the second quarter through the end of Monday’s 47-31 District 6-3A championship victory at home over regular season league champion Red Bank.
Spencer’s hustle and finishing ability sparked an 8-0 run to end the first half, which she concluded with three straight layups to tie the game at 17-all. The junior also dominated the offensive glass in the fourth quarter as she muscled her way in for a key offensive rebound off a long 3-point attempt, then scoring despite being fouled. Spencer converted the old-fashioned three-point play on her way to an 11-point fourth quarter.
“I love Gabby,” said Soddy Daisy fifth-year head coach Katie Wright, who has an overall record of 104-55. “I am hard on her and do not cut her any slack. Early on, she was playing too fast and was wanting fouls called. I told her, ‘Shut up and keep playing.’ She responded to that.
“Her mentality is everything. She is just amazing. There is no quit in her. It’s all fight. When she gets going, man, she can get going. Those little plays of offensive rebound putbacks are huge. Those are game-changer plays. Just hustle and effort plays. You have to have that. It’s a big deal.”