Saltillo Lady Lions Take Area Championship
With Win Over Martinsville

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

It was a large crowd of Saltillo Lady Lions fans that traveled to Spring Hill, in the edge of Longview, on Friday night, for the Area Championship match-up between the Lady Lions and Martinsville. And, it became a rather "routine" performance of defense for the Lady Lions as they controlled the game from the onset. As one fan commented about the No. 1 State Ranked Lady Lions, "most of the games so far this year, have been that way, and that's what has kept the Lady Lions in the 'W' column all year!"

 

 

Saltillo Lady Lions vs Martinsville - 02-17-12


Saltillo           11      9     9   15    44
Martinsville    0      6     5    15   26

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady Lions kept the Martinsville Lady Pirates scoreless for the first quarter of the ballgame, showing outstanding poise and ball control, as they kept them on the outside and away from the basket.

Finally, the Lady Pirates were able to make a basket in their opening possession of the second half, but would only score four additional points in the period, giving the Lady Lions a 20-6 lead as they went to the dressing room at halftime intermission.

The third period found the Lady Lions outscoring the Lady Pirates by four points and showing outstanding ball control, again. They just "shut down" any effort by the Lady Pirates to score, and already having a comfortable lead, they maintained their game plan.

The fourth quarter found the Lady Pirates and the Lady Lions each scoring 15 points, some of them on some free throws from fouls, but the game had already been decided, long before the period.

 

Lady Lion Victoria Stretcher adds another two points to the Saltillo effort.
Stretcher led the Lady Lions with 27 points in the game.

 

This team of girls, proved why they are state ranked, as they set out early and controlled the game, and kept their poise throughout the effort. Victoria Stretcher, the ace post for the Lady Lions proved to be a menace for the Lady Pirates, as she scored every time they let up their defenses. The Lady Lions are patient and get the ball to Stretcher, every time the defense is "let up" and can generally count on two to three points for the effort, each time. Stretcher has an ability to control the basket and draw fouls, for the charity shots, as well.

 

 

 

 

Stretcher scored 27 of the 44 points, to lead the Lady Lions. Ariel Tippit added 6 points, Mobley and Andrea Tippet, added four points each, and Carley Brwer added one point, while Bain added 2 points to the effort.

 

 

 

The Lady Lions will face Kennard in the Regional Quarterfinals, on Tuesday night. Kennard beat Bloomburg on Friday night and have been a forceful block for the Lady Lions, as they have beaten Coach Davidson's Lady Lions twice in the past five years, in their march to the State Title.

 

Congratulations, Lady Lions!!!


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