NASHVILLE The first five losses that the sixth-ranked Westmoreland High School girls basketball team suffered this season all came by single-figure margins.
Another close game wasn’t in the cards for the Lady Eagles on Monday evening though as they ended the season with a 45-24 setback to Cheatham County in a Region 5-AA Tournament semifinal contest played at Lipscomb Academy.
Westmoreland High junior point guard Gracie Oliver dribbles to the basket during first-quarter action as Cheatham County’s Josie Bumpus defends. Oliver scored four points in the Lady Eagles’ 45-24 loss on Monday evening.
It was the fourth meeting between the two teams. Westmoreland claimed a 43-37 win over the visiting Lady Cubs on Dec. 8, but the Lady Eagles suffered a 46-38 loss at Cheatham County on Feb. 15 and a 51-46 setback to Cheatham County in the District 9-AA Tournament semifinals on Feb. 20.
“They’re getting better as they go,” Westmoreland head coach Cherie Abner said. “They are young. They are fearless. They’re hitting their groove. Unfortunately, we were in their path.”
It was the second-lowest offensive output of the season for the Lady Eagles.
“We just couldn’t put it together,” Abner said. “They pushed us out (closer to midcourt) and made us go one on one.”
Cheatham County (22-7) – the District 9-AA Tournament champion – never trailed, establishing a 17-7 lead when freshman Jorden Bumpus came off of the bench to sink a 3-pointer early in the second quarter.
“We had to play catch-up, and they’re a hard team to defend,” Abner said. “They have the one player (Lady Cub junior center Tiffany Smith) who stops Karley (Smith, Westmoreland junior forward) down low. It’s a magnitude of things.”
Westmoreland High junior forward Karley Smith is pressured along the baseline by Cheatham County freshman Abbi Douglas. Smith scored six points.
The Lady Eagles – the No. 3 seed from 9-AA – produced just two baskets in the second stanza and trailed 22-11 at halftime.
Macy Douglas rattled in a 3-pointer, and freshman teammate Emmy Nelson made a free throw to quickly extend the lead to 26-11 just 65 seconds into the second half.
Westmoreland (26-6) forced eight turnovers in the third quarter but didn’t get any closer than 12 points, committing eight turnovers of their own in the period.
The Lady Eagles finished with 19 turnovers.
Bumpus stole a pass in the final seconds of the period and banked in a 25-footer to give her squad a 17-point advantage (33-16) entering the fourth quarter.
“It just went their way,” Abner said. “What can you say? We turned them over, and it cut into (the lead).
“They just flat-out beat us. It just wasn’t our night.”
The margin swelled to 23 points as Bumpus turned another steal into a layin with 4:56 remaining.
Bumpus and classmate Abbi Douglas – the District 9-AA Most Valuable Player – scored 11 points each.
Smith, senior guard Haley Braswell and junior forward Kaitlyn Norman all scored six points.
Westmoreland High senior guard Haley Braswell releases a first-half 3-pointer over the outstretched arm of Cheatham County’s Macy Douglas. Braswell scored six points.
Westmoreland was attempting to reach the regional championship game and earn a sectional appearance for the third consecutive season.
The Lady Eagles lose two seniors, Braswell and fellow guard Jesica Eppstein. That duo has helped the program compile a 98-34 record over the last four seasons.
Westmoreland High senior guard Jesica Eppstein dribbles to the basket during third-quarter action. Eppstein scored two points in the Lady Eagles’ 45-24 loss to Cheatham County on Monday evening.
“We went through adversity,” Abner said. “We lost our starting point guard (senior Haley Cook). Our best scoring threat (Smith) tears her ACL (anterior-cruciate ligament in her knee last summer). We could have folded up, but we still had a chance to get there (back to the sectional round).”
Cheatham County earned a berth in one of Saturday’s eight Class AA sectional games with Monday evening’s victory and also moved into Wednesday evening’s championship game against East Nashville, which was a 70-44 winner over Sycamore in Monday evening’s other semifinal contest.
Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.
WESTMORELAND (24) – Haley Braswell 6, Kaitlyn Norman 6, Karley Smith 6, Gracie Oliver 4, Jesica Eppstein 2.
CHEATHAM COUNTY (45) – Jorden Bumpus 11, Abbi Douglas 11, Emmy Nelson 8, Macy Douglas 7, Tiffany Smith 6, Josie Bumpus 2.
Half: 22-11, Cheatham County. Three-point goals: Westmoreland 2 (Braswell 2), Cheatham County 6 (Jorden Bumpus 3, A. Douglas 1, M. Douglas 1, Nelson 1). Records: Westmoreland 26-6, Cheatham County 22-7.
