BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Ava Welsh scored seven of her 13 second-half points in a third quarter that saw host Northside Christian Academy outscore Hope Christian 16-3 en route to a 49-34 Eagles win in a girls basketball game on Jan. 9.
Northside (2-4) held a three-point lead going into the second quarter, thanks to a basket by Welsh with four seconds left in the first quarter.
Hope (0-7) scored the first seven points of the second quarter. Addyson Wilson, who was fouled going to the basket after her own steal, made a free throw. She then came away with another steal and sank a three-point shot. Wilson later added another three-point basket for a 15-11 Hope lead.
Bella Smith scored off an offensive rebound for the Eagles’ first points of the quarter, but the Lions responded with two straight baskets. Autumn Hunt scored off her own steal, while Mackenzie McRaney got a basket off another Northside turnover, putting Hope ahead 19-13.
The teams then traded baskets. Northside got a score from Welsh, followed by Hope scoring on a McRaney basket off an Aubriana Clark assist. The Eagles then got a basket from Caydance Slayton, while the Lions got one from Clark off an offensive rebound.
Northside scored the final four points of the half, getting a basket from Slayton and two free throws from Kaylea King. That left the Eagles trailing 23-21.
Welsh knocked down a jump shot to start the third quarter, which evened the score, but Wilson answered for the Lions with a three-pointer.
Wilson’s basket accounted for Hope’s only points in the quarter as the Eagles scored 14 straight in taking the lead for good. Piper Kite made a three-point shot, followed by a basket by King. Slayton made a free throw before Jaycee Smith sank a foul-line jumper. After a Maddey Garrison free throw, Welsh scored off a Kite steal. Another turnover led to a three-pointer by Welsh and a 37-26 Northside leading going into the fourth
quarter.
The final quarter began with a three-pointer by the Lions’ Wilson, but the Eagles answered with four straight baskets. King and Welsh sank consecutive jump shots before Jaycee Smith scored off a Welsh assist. Slayton then added a basket for a 45-29 Eagles lead.
Hope’s Alyssa Hunt scored consecutive baskets off a pair of steals, but it was too little too late for the Lions.
Welsh finished with a game-high 18 points. The Eagles also got eight points each from King and Jaycee Smith, seven from Slayton, four from Bella Smith, three from Kite and one from Garrison.
The Lions were led by Wilson’s 14 points. McRaney and Alyssa Hunt scored seven and six points, respectively, while Clark had four. Autumn Hunt added two points.
Hope and Northside play each other again on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 5 p.m. at Hope.
Northside travels to Floral City to play New Testament Christian on Friday, Jan. 17, at 5 p.m. The Eagles then travel to Callahan to play West Nassau High School on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 4:30 p.m.
The Lions host Union County High School on Friday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. Hope then travels for two straight games, playing Gainesville Christian Community on Monday, Jan. 20, at 6:30 p.m. and Open Bible Christian of Valdosta, Georgia, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6 p.m.
