GIRLS BASKETBALL

Lady Cavs’ season ends at Craigmont

THE JACKSON SUN

MEMPHIS – First-year Crockett County High girls’ basketball coach Megan Witherspoon wasn’t happy with her team’s season-ending 70-57 loss at Craigmont on Monday, but she said she was happy overall with how the season went as a whole.

“The way these girls played all year and continued to work — I’m very proud of that,” Witherspoon said. “I came into this season wanting to do more than simply focusing on this team this year and tried to work to change the mentality of the team andbring a work ethic.

“Because it all we did was focus on this year, then we’d right back in the position we’re in right now.”

The Lady Cavaliers fought hard on Monday to stay close with Craigmont, who’d had some big wins over other rural West Tennessee teams this season who’d made it pretty far into the postseason.

“We kept it close for the first half, and they came out and pulled away from us in the third quarter,” Witherspoon said. “Then we came back some and cut their lead to eight points going into the fourth quarter.

“But we got into foul trouble, and they hit their free throws and pulled away again.”

Foul trouble is something the Lady Cavaliers didn’t need to deal with when playing a team good enough to win the Region 8-AA championship.

With seven players on the roster, it’s not like there’s a ton of depth to go to when players begin to get close to fouling out.

“We just had to deal with it and try to play with what we had,” Witherspoon said. “We’ve done that all year.”

Crockett County loses two seniors: Libby Hart and Aja Robertson.

“Everything,” Witherspoon said when asked what the pair have meant to the program. “They’ve worked hard and have been part of this program since I got here and have been good leaders the entire time.

“We’re going to miss a lot without them there.”

The good thing for Crockett County going forward is there are no juniors on the team,so Witherspoon should have two years remaining with the remaining Lady Cavaliers as they try again next year to get to the state tournament.