Lady Eagles fight past Jackson County

HARTSVILLE Paige Akins gave her squad some separation, and the bench provided a big boost as the Westmoreland Middle School girls basketball team pulled away for a 32-19 victory over No. 6 seed Jackson County in the two teams’ Cumberland Rim Conference Tournament opener on Wednesday evening at Trousdale County High School.

With her squad clinging to a one-point lead, Akins made a 3-pointer late in the third quarter and then converted on a turnaround jump shot, extending the margin to six points.

“Paige was huge,” Lady Eagle head coach Jan Gross said. “She played really well.”

Then, a pair of Westmoreland reserves – seventh-grade guard Zoey Fuller and forward Brooke Meador – produced the first four points of the fourth quarter, creating a 10-point margin.

“She played excellent,” Gross said of Fuller. “It’s the best she’s played all year. I’m very proud of her. We are comfortable with Jordan (Bandy) and Zoey both.

“Brooke came in and gave us good minutes. That’s all I’m looking for … hustle.”

The Lady Devils produced just one point over the final nine minutes.

Third-seeded Westmoreland trailed for most of the opening quarter against Jackson County’s zone defense. Point guard Avery Morris sank a 3-pointer with eight seconds left in the period to place her squad in front to stay.

“That’s all everybody plays us,” Gross said of the zone. “We just didn’t execute.”

Akins, Fuller, Morris and Meador all contributed offensively early in the second period, building a 13-5 lead.

However, Lady Devil point guard Alexis Surles banked in a 3-pointer while she was on the run at the first-half buzzer, pulling her squad to within three points (15-12).

Surles – who scored a team-high 11 points – converted a three-point play midway through the third period to pull her squad to within a point.

Akins responded with her 3-pointer less than a minute later, sparking the 13-1 run to end the game.

Morris – who picked up her fourth foul in the third quarter and eventually fouled out in the final minutes of the game – scored a game-high 11 points, and Akins provided nine points.

Surles finished with a game-high 11 points before fouling out.

The Lady Eagles also won both regular-season meetings between the two teams, by scores of 34-14 and 32-15.

>> Westmoreland limited No. 2 seed Red Boiling Springs to two points in the fourth quarter of Thursday evening’s semifinal contest, capturing a 29-22, come-from-behind victory.

The two teams split their regular-season contests.

On Thursday, the Lady Eagles trailed 20-17 entering the fourth quarter, but Liz Anderson’s two free throws were the only Lady Bulldog points over the final six minutes.

Westmoreland (11-4) trailed most of the way, facing a 7-4 deficit after one quarter and a 13-10 margin at halftime.

Lady Eagle forward Mattie Booker scored all six of her points in the fourth quarter, and Morris provided four of her six in the final period.

Akins scored a team-high seven points, and like Booker and Morris, Meador also scored six points.

Teammate Janna Eakle scored four points.

Kennedy Fleming led Red Boiling Springs offensively with 14 points.

Westmoreland advanced to face top-seeded Macon County in Saturday afternoon’s championship game.

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

JACKSON COUNTY (19) – Alexis Surles 11, Paige Dailey 4, Rachel Harris 2, Rebecca Harris 1, Nikki Ragland 1.

WESTMORELAND (32) – Avery Morris 11, Paige Akins 9, Zoey Fuller 5, Brooke Meador 3, Alison Gray 2, Ginger Johns 2.

Half: 15-12, Westmoreland. Three-point goals: Jackson County 1 (Surles 1), Westmoreland 2 (Akins 1, Morris 1). Records: Westmoreland 10-4.