By TODD REED
News Leader Sports Editor
www.tnl-news.com
Malvern's basketball season came to an end last week, as the Lady Hornets were defeated in the sectional finals by Hiland 84-39.
The Inter-Valley Conference Champion Lady Hawks (20-2) led 29-11 after the opening quarter, 51-21 at halftime and 72-29 heading into the fourth stanza.
Seniors Christina Mayle and Jennifer Hall played well in their final games at Malvern (4-18). Mayle had 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks; while Hall contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
Logan Smalley added 10 points, four rebounds and two assists.
"My girls gave a great effort versus Hiland," stated Head Coach Murray Hooten III. "This was the best game we've played them in three years.
"One of our goals was for us to take as much time off the clock with each offensive possession and not rush our shot selection. Hiland does a great job running transition, so we wanted to try to limit their opportunities by having better shot selection and patience with the ball.
"Defensively, we showed signs of continuous improvement, but we still have a ways to go with making stops versus strong teams and with our team rebounding.
"Christina had a good game for us. I was happy to see her compete at a higher level versus Hiland. She led us in scoring with 13 points. Jennifer also had a strong game. Logan also did a nice job contributing to our effort.
"As a team, we still have our areas to work on, both offensively and defensively. But after reflecting on this game, I am very proud of my girls for competing and never giving up. This is the second time in three years that we've been fortunate to win a tournament game and advance. We are now 2-3 in the post-season in three years. This is something we will continue building on.
"Our seniors, Christina and Jennifer, will be missed very much. They really gave their all in their final game as Lady Hornets and have done a great job for me.
"In order for us to continue improving for our future, it's going to be highly imperative for us to have a great off season this spring, summer, and fall. All of our players have done a decent job with committing to our off season, but we must get better and have a higher level of commitment to put in the work. This is the key for our potential future success."
Missy Mast led the winners with 11 points, while teammate Meagan Hall had 10 points.
treed@the-review.com
Comments