Shelbyville slips away from LHS

SHELBYVILLE — Walking into a Shelbyville gym with 12 state championship banners hanging from the ceiling and with two starters missing and a third hobbling, Lebanon gave the heavily-favored Eaglettes all they cared for for just over two quarters Friday.
Then the Eaglettes flexed their muscles and flew off with a 65-34 win in the Region 4-AAA tournament first round.
Lebanon trailed 10-5 following the first quarter and 23-16 at halftime. The Devilettes scored the first couple of baskets of the second half to draw within three before the Eaglettes went on a decisive run to go up 49-23 going into the fourth.
"We played well the first half," first-year Lebanon coach Darian Brown said after his Devilettes concluded an 11-23 campaign. "We just had a hard time scoring the second half. They did a better job shutting us down."
Alex Jarrell's, Shelbyville's 6-3 post, tossed in 21 points while guard Kayla Bryant threw in three 3-pointers on her way to 11 and forward Anisha Buchanan bucketed 10 as the Eaglettes moved into Monday's semifinals at Siegel with a 28-5 record.
Ebony Marshall couldn't move well but was able to score from outside, throwing in three triples to lead Lebanon with 11 points while Icelyn Elie tossed in 10 from the post. Kelsey Blackburn bagged a three while Shay Coggins, Kim Ha, Aquarius Huddleston, Dee Kendall and Traneisha Neal each notched two.
The Devilettes were without the injured Jasmin Brooks and the suspended Crystal Howse while center London Elie was hampered by foul trouble. Marshall hadn't practiced all week after getting hurt in last Saturday's District 7-AAA consolation setback to Siegel.
"She had to be a stationary person," Brown said of Marshall. "She couldn't move very well.
"To not have Jasmin and Crystal, we did a good job first half handling the ball. The second half, I think we got tired. We had people playing minutes they're not used to. They became fatigued mentally."

Red Boiling Springs waits out Watertown
RED BOILING SPRINGS — Miss Basketball finalist Laken Leonard has grabbed most of the attention as a freshman. But it was a senior who seized control for Red Boiling Springs in a 65-30 win over Watertown in the Region 4-A tournament opener Friday night.
Rich totaled 24 points and eight steals for the Lady Bulldogs, who advanced to Monday's 6:30 p.m. semifinal at Watertown against Clarkrange, which knocked off host Westmoreland 36-32.
"She' an awful nice player, a senior, a real good athlete," Watertown coach Jeff Luttrell said of Rich after his Tigerettes concluded a 14-15 season. "They have a lot of weapons in different places."
Luttrell put together a patient offense which kept the Tigerettes within 12-7 in the first quarter as they took just six shots. But a 15-2 second quarter lifted the Lady Bulldogs to a 27-9 halftime lead and the hosts opened a 54-19 spread going into the fourth as they improved to 31-3.
"We were trying to hold the ball," Luttrell said. "It worked for a while and then we made some mistakes and had some turnovers."
Leonard added 11 of her 18 point sin the second half while Caylie Dickens dropped in a pair of three-pointers on her way to 11.
Brittnee Sells scored 11 for Watertown while Miaushia Thompson tossed in seven, Laura Clark five, Ashley Bogle a three-pointer and Sarah Reeder and Carley Smith two each.
In the other bracket, Gordonsville ousted Monterey 52-35 while Jackson County took out Trousdale County 58-40. Those winners will meet at 8 p.m. Monday at Watertown in the other semifinal.
Boys' region action begins at 7 p.m. tonight at home sites. Friendship Christian will host Clay County at the Bay Family Sportsplex with the winner advancing to Tuesday's 8 p.m. semifinal at Watertown against the Trousdale County-Clarkrange survivor.