Eagleville press turns tables on FCS

After using the press to build an early lead, the tables were turned on Friendship Christian's girls as Eagleville prevailed 49-41 Thursday night at the Bay Family Sportsplex.
With Eagleville turning the ball over nine times in the first quarter, including six on Friendship steals, Lindsey Farmer scored six points as the Lady Commanders opened the game with a 10-0 lead.
But the Lady Eagles clamped down with their suffocating man pressure and Friendship finished the first half with 10 turnovers, one fewer than the visitors, who went on a 23-6 run over the final 10 minutes of the half to go up 23-16 by intermission.
"It was good experience for us to face pressure like that," Lady Commander coach Deanna Teeter said after Friendship fell to 3-3. "We've got to learn to handle the pressure and tonight, we did well at times and then we had a turnover-fest at times.
"We've got to get better at that. Especially in our district, it's going to bring pressure and until we learn how to handle it, we're not going to be very good."
Rebounds were also an issue as the Lady Eagles won the boards 32-26 to improve to 5-3 for the season.
"We gave up several offensive rebounds," Teeter said. "We can't have that. It's one of our goals. It's written on the board is to not give up more than three offensive rebounds. I don't know what the breakdown is yet. But we have to run for each one that's over three. So I imagine we have several sprints."
Forward Kendra Harrell came off the Eagleville bench to lead the Lad Eagles with 15 points while point guard Rachel Frazee fired in 14 and T'Anna Overton threw in three from the wing.
Farmer and fellow post Katy Vaughan scored 17 points apiece for Friendship. Vaughan threw in 13 in the second half as she scored after the Lady Commanders broke the press and on offensive rebounds. She had seven in the third period, including a runner to bring the Lady Commanders within 30-28 late in the quarter.
Farmer lined a three-pointer from the corner in the fourth quarter to bring Friendship within 41-39. A Vaughan putback made it 44-41 before the Lady Eagles hit their free throws and Harrell converted a steal into a layup to seal the deal.
Carly Warmath finished with four points before fouling out for Friendship while Jessi Couch flipped in three.
Friendship will bus to Jackson next week for the Jackson Christian Tournament. The Lady Commanders will face Harding Academy at 10 a.m. next Thursday. The three-day event will run through Dec. 30.

Inside-outside balance lifts Lady Wildcats
ANTIOCH — With Tierney Jenkins, Jasmine Hassell and Sara Williams, you can pencil in some 40 points per night from the post for Wilson Central.
When the guards get hot from outside, look out.
The Lady Wildcats knocked down nine three-pointers Thursday night as they whipped Whites Creek 73-53 in the Antioch Classic.
"Our perimeter shooters are making more and more strides which is going to be essential as we go," Central coach Bud Brandon said after his Lady Wildcats won a rematch of last year's sectional to improve to 10-0. "We're starting to balance things out."
Hassell tossed in 20 points while Jenkins threw in 13. Lauren Wasson added 11 points and Lauren Farmer nine as each sank three triples. Kristyn Clark canned a couple from long range for her six while Jessyca Christopher and Chelsea Burroughs finished with five apiece and Williams four.
DeAnna Fuqua drove for 24 points for the Lady Cobras, who slipped to 7-4.
Central led 15-6 following the first quarter, 38-25 at halftime and 59-40 through three periods.
The Lady Wildcats will face host Antioch at 8:30 p.m. tonight.
Sports Editor Andy Reed can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 17 or by e-mail at andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com.