Heading into the new year and another tournament, Baylor girls' basketball coach John Gibson wanted his team to keep pushing.
After winning the Carpet Capital Classic on Monday at Christian Heritage, the Lady Red Raiders beat Notre Dame 44-29 on Thursday to open the three-day Times Free Press Best of Preps Tournament at Chattanooga State.
"What drives a team is winning championships, and we have to learn how to play with success (in) back-to-back (events) like this," Gibson said. "Down the stretch (of the season), you have to play really good basketball for long stretches. For us, we have to be more consistent in both halves."
Baylor (10-4) did not allow a field goal until 2:10 remained in the first half, and freshman point guard Bella White ignited a quick start by draining a 3-pointer from the left corner off an assist by Raegyn Conley for a 6-0 lead and soon after rejecting a shot on the other end. The Lady Raiders led 23-5 at halftime, and White, who also started as an eighth grader, scored all seven of her points in the first quarter.
She also finished with six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
"Bella is very capable of dominating a game," Gibson said. "We still want her to push the ball more aggressively, but that will come. She is a special talent and has come a long way already."
Baylor will face Sequatchie County (5-6) in a championship semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday.
Conley - a junior who was the Carpet Capital Classic MVP and helped Baylor beat Notre Dame in the opening round of last season's Best of Preps - scored 11 of her game-high 15 points in the second half.
Kailee Johnson - who scored all seven of her points after halftime - and Conley hit back-to-back 3-pointers to build a 43-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.
"Raegyn was getting doubled a lot in the first half, but she got going and put some good moves on," Gibson said. "She is a good player and is even better when she gets her teammates around her involved, too."
For Notre Dame (8-5), senior Jolie McGann also found her shooting touch in the second half, scoring all 13 of her points - including a trio of 3-pointers - after intermission. Makayla Skaggs added eight points for the Lady Fighting Irish.
* Sequatchie County 70, Brainerd 39
Stellar ball distribution guided the Lady Indians (5-6) to a season high in points in their first game since Dec. 16.
Peyton Longson scored 13 points, Rileigh Belk added 12 and Hallie Barger, Dylan Belk and Ella Edgmon each chipped in 10 for Sequatchie.
"We spread the ball around and played team basketball," Rileigh Belk said. "We all hype each other up, and it means a lot to be invited to this tournament. We have to step our defense up now."
Tyliyah Ward scored 16 points and Amarah Robinson added 10 for Brainerd (1-10), which faces Notre Dame at 10 a.m. Friday.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.