Youth leads Lady Devils to overtime win

PORTLAND Late in Thursday evening’s Sumner County Conference Tournament opener, the White House Middle School girls basketball team didn’t seem to have much in its favor.

However, the eighth-seeded Lady Devils managed to rely on their youth down the stretch, pulling away for a 32-26, overtime victory over No. 9 seed Portland East in a game played at Portland West Middle School.

“It says a lot about our girls,” White House head coach Megan Mims said. “They really stepped up. They wanted it.

“Bailey Newman stepped up. Grace Gregory stepped up defensively, and Audrey (Hudson) had her first start of the season and had 10 points.”

Lady Devil point guard Baylee Miller tossed in a shot from beyond midcourt at the first-quarter buzzer, giving her squad an 8-1 lead.

Abi Thomerson made three perimeter jump shots in the second stanza to pull the Lady Panthers to within a basket, but Miller’s coast-to-coast layin created a 13-9 margin at halftime.

However, Portland East (3-12) held White House (4-11) scoreless in the third quarter, taking a 15-13 lead when forward Sami Parker made two free throws late in the period.

There were three ties and one lead change in the fourth quarter.

Hudson made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 42 seconds left in the regulation – giving her squad a one-point lead – but Jacie Yocum tossed in the second of two free throws with 12.8 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Parker’s putback with 1:14 remaining in overtime pulled her squad to within a point (27-26), but made free throws form Hudson and Sarah Cartwright created a four-point margin.

Then, Hudson’s layin in the final seconds sealed the win.

The Lady Devils were forced to play for most of the fourth quarter and all of overtime without Miller, who fouled out.

Three seventh-grader starters – Hudson (10 points), Cartwright (8) and Danielle Williams (7) – led White House offensively. Miller also scored seven points.

“I am very proud,” Mims said. “In the third quarter, we didn’t score at all. To fight through is huge.

“Those girls have stepped up. It was, all around, a very good game.”

Parker and Thomerson scored eight and seven points, respectively.

It was the third meeting between the two teams. The Lady Panthers captured a 23-22 win at White House on Nov. 5, but the Lady Devils claimed a 16-12 victory when the two teams played in Portland on Dec. 10, in the only of those two contests that counted in the conference standings.

White House moved on to face top-seeded Hunter in Saturday’s quarterfinal round.

Reach Craig Harris atcharris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.

PORTLAND EAST (26) – Sami Parker 8, Abi Thomerson 7, Madison Hall 6, Jacie Yocum 3, Daley McCloud 2.

WHITE HOUSE (32) – Audrey Hudson 10, Sarah Cartwright 8, Baylee Miller 7, Danielle Williams 7.

Half: 13-9, White House. End of regulation: 22-22. Three-point goals: Portland East 1 (Thomerson 1), White House 2 (Hudson 1, Miller 1). Records: Portland East 3-12, White House 4-11.