By Al Muskewitz
Friday girls roundup: Phillips’ go-for-broke style has made her one of Alexandria’s best ever; PV, Ragland win final tuneups before area tournament
FRIDAY’S GIRLS GAMES
Alexandria 46, Saks 15
Cherokee County 69, White Plains 42
Douglas 43, Westbrook Christian 29
Pleasant Valley 64, Faith Christian 25
Ragland 63, Vincent 46
The way Ashley Phillips throws herself around the basketball floor it’s a wonder she doesn’t come out of the locker room when it’s over wearing a head-to-toe bag of ice. But it’s that go-for-broke style of play that has made her one of the best girls players in the county and, in Alexandria coach Craig Kiker’s mind, “definitely on the Mount Rushmore of players that I’ve had in my short time here.”
Phillips has been there for five of Kiker’s six years with the Lady Cubs and given them more than 1,500 points. She added 19 to that total in Friday night’s 46-15 victory over Saks that wrapped up their regular season.
There was a lot of crashing and slashing and chasing that has been a hallmark of Phillips’ game. At various times Friday night she got knocked down driving to the basket and hurt her knee that kept her out early in the second quarter, she got knocked down under the goal and she went flying through the Saks bench in pursuit of a ball.
The result of it all: She said after the game and the Senior Night ceremonies that followed that her hand hurt.
“She doesn’t really worry about injuries, she just plays, and that’s good,” Kiker said. “She doesn’t mind contact. She has developed that, I think, last year and this year as she’s gotten stronger. The contact doesn’t bother her as near as much as it used to.”
“It’s just part of the game; you’ve got to take contact,” Phillips said. “I really worked on it this year. I’ve been in the weight room a lot just trying to get stronger so I can be more physical and kind of push people around instead of getting pushed around.”
The Lady Cubs led this one wire-to-wire. They jumped out 10-1 and led 15-8 at halftime. They turned up their focus and intensity in the second half and went on a 30-0 run that carried into the first three minutes of the fourth quarter.
Jill Cockrell hit three 3-pointers and all 10 of her points in the third-quarter portion of the run. Phillips scored 12 points in the run.
Phillips went over the 1,500-point plateau Tuesday night at Ramsay. She now has 1,528 points for her career with the area tournament and possibly beyond awaiting.
Alexandria 46, Saks 15
SAKS – Trenzly Bolding 0 0-0 0, Alayzia Neal 1 2-2 4, Alonna Crews 1 0-0 2, Keilynn Williams 1 0-0 3, Kennedy Robinson 0 0-0 0, Ashlynn Twymon 0 0-0 0, Monterria Christopher 0 0-0 0, Sania Angel 1 1-4 3, Kendale Welch 1 0-0 3, Kayleigh Thomas 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 3-6 15.
ALEXANDRIA – Ashley Phillips 7 2-6 19, Jordyn Walker 2 4-4 8, Kirsten Heathcock 0 0-0 0, Jill Cockrell 3 1-2 10, Eryn Spradley 0 1-2 1, Kylie Davis 0 0-0 0, Kailey Dickerson 1 1-2 3, Sumira Duncan 1 0-0 2, Slaton 1 0-0 3, Chloe Gattis 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 9-16 46.
Saks 4 4 3 4 – 15
Alexandria 12 3 17 14 – 46
3-point goals: Saks 2 (Williams, Welch); Alexandria 7 (Phillips 3, Cockrell 3, Slaton). Total fouls: Saks 11, Alexandria 9. Officials: Roberts, Robinson, Smith.
CHEROKEE COUNTY 69, WHITE PLAINS 42: All five Cherokee County starters scored in double figures and the Lady Warriors pulled away from a close game with a 26-10 third quarter.
Audrey Haygood led Cherokee County with 17 points. Adriana Sotelo hit five 3-pointers and led White Plains with 15. Cooper Martin hit three 3s and had 11 for the Lady Wildcats.
Cherokee County 69, White Plains 42
WHITE PLAINS –Callyn Martin 1 1-2 3, Isabella Higgins 0 0-1 0, Cooper Martin 4 0-0 11, Halie Smith 0 0-0 0, Camden Wilson 0 2-6 2, Addison Bradley 1 0-1 2, Adriana Sotelo 5 0-0 15, Angel Bozarth 4 1-4 9. Totals 15 4-14 42.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Mary Hays Johnson 4 5-6 14, Audrey Haygood 5 6-10 17, Emily Allen 4 2-2 12, Carson Coley 4 1-3 10, Ella Garmany 3 3-4 10, Libby Curry 2 0-0 4, Vivian Connell 0 2-2 2. Totals 22 19-27 69.
White Plains 11 10 10 11 – 42
Cherokee County 12 12 26 19 – 69
3-point goals: White Plains 8 (Co. Martin 3, Sotelo 5); Cherokee County 6 (Johnson, Haygood, Allen 2, Coley, Garmany). Total fouls: White Plains 15, Cherokee County 17.
PLEASANT VALLEY 64, FAITH CHRISTIAN 25: The Lady Raiders hit nine 3-pointers and four of the five starters scored in double figures. They hit four 3s in the first quarter to open a 16-6 lead, then broke it open with 25 points in the second quarter. Rylee Haynes led PV with 15 points. Macey Roper had 14. Ari Arevalo led Faith with 11.
Pleasant Valley 64, Faith Christian 25
PLEASANT VALLEY – Lily Henry 4 0-0 11, Rylee Haynes 6 1-2 15, Marlie Wright 2 0-0 6, Kianna Hester 0 0-0 0, Gracie Hood 3 2-2 10, Macey Roper 6 2-2 14, Abby Parris 0 2-4 2, Anna Worthy 2 0-0 4, Ashlynn Salster 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 7-10 64.
FAITH CHRISTIAN – Ari Arevalo 5 1-2 11, Anna Strautman 0 0-0 0, Anna Robertson 0 0-2 0, Joelle Tillery 2 0-0 6, Ally Folsom 3 2-2 8, Cheyenne Rice 0 0-2 0, Megan Ford 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 3-8 25.
Pleasant Valley 16 25 17 6 – 64
Faith Christian 6 10 5 4 – 25
3-point goals: PV 9 (Henry 3, Haynes 2, Wright 2, Hood 2); Faith 2 (Tillery 2). Total fouls: PV 8, Faith 8. Officials: Burroughs, Hoffman, Wood.
RAGLAND 63, VINCENT 46: The Lady Purple Devils opened a 32-14 halftime lead and coach Sawyer Merritt praised his team’s composure in the second half as they maintained the lead despite some serious foul trouble. Campbell Adams scored 25 points over the final three quarters to lead Ragland while Cadence Buchanan (17) and Sammie Day-Jones (14) also scored in double figures for the Lady Purple Devils.
Ragland 63, Vincent 46
VINCENT – Keaeria Lykes 2 4-8 8, Makayla Perkins 0 0-0 0, Jakilah Norwood 0 0-3 0, Takyla Smoot 0 0-0 0, Anna Klingenbeck 3 3-5 9, Jakalynn McGinnis 3 3-5 9, Trenay Lane 6 4-11 18, Abby Wright 1 0-1 2. Totals 15 14-33 46.
RAGLAND (22-3) – Sammie Day-Jones 6 1-3 14, Rylee Mickler 2 0-0 4, Cadence Buchanan 7 3-7 17, Campbell Adams 7 9-11 25, Aubrey Ball 1 0-0 3, Hannah Ragsdale 0 0-0 0, Jaymie Rains 0 0-0 0, Nya Brewster 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 13-21 63.
Vincent 7 7 16 16 – 46
Ragland 13 19 13 18 – 63
3-point goals: Vincent 2 (Lane 2); Ragland 4 (Day-Jones, Adams 2, Ball). Fouled out: Rains. Total fouls: Vincent 23, Ragland 25. Officials: Pratt, Warren, Hall. [*** read more]
