The Crittenden County Lady Rockets are headed back to the championship game of the girls 2nd Region All A Classic. The Lady Rockets advanced to the title game by taking care of University Heights 69-48 in Thursday night’s first semifinal game. Crittenden County used a hot first quarter to take a big lead and then never look back as they rolled to their 12th win of the season.
It took a little bit for either team to get their footing in the early going. Neither was able to find the basket until Crittenden County’s Elliot Evans pulled up on the break and knocked down an 8-footer to give the Lady Rockets a 2-0 lead with just over two minutes gone in the opening quarter. UHA would get their first basket from LeeLee Love less than a minute later.
The game was close through the first half of the opening quarter then, sparked by a trio of made 3-pointers, the Lady Rockets got rolling and closed out the quarter on a 19-4 run to take a 25-9 lead after one.
At times during the second quarter, it looked as if Crittenden County was about ready to blow the game open. But to the Lady Blazers’ credit, they kept fighting to try and hang around. Late in the half, the Lady Rockets ran the lead out to 43-21, but UHA responded by scoring the final five points at the half to make it 43-26 at the break.
Two big differences in the first half were the outside shooting and the board work down inside. Crittenden County knocked down five threes in the first sixteen minutes to just one for the Lady Blazers. The Lady Rockets were also able to control the boards, getting second and third chances on the offensive end and limiting those same opportunities for the Lady Blazers on the other end.
The third quarter saw Crittenden County begin to just methodically extend the lead and begin to put the game away. Elliot Evans scored seven in the quarter for the Lady Rockets as the lead grew to 62-35 heading into the final eight minutes. Evans was one of six Lady Rockets to find the scoring column in the third.
Crittenden County coach Shannon Hodge would give her starters the fourth quarter off and get some valuable court time for her reserves as the Lady Rockets rode it on out to the final 21 point margin.
UHA was led by Alecia Davis, who was the top scorer in the game with 26 points. LeeLee Love also hit double figures with 12.
Elliot Evans topped three Lady Rockets in double figures with 15 points. Natalie Boone added 14, including four made three-pointers, all in the first half. Taylor Guess ended up with 12 points, all but two in the opening half of play.
UHA drops to 3-13 with the loss. The Lady Blazers travel across town to take on Heritage Christian on Tuesday.
The Lady Rockets improve to 12-3 and will play in Saturday afternoon’s All A regional final at University Heights.
CCHS – 25 18 19 7 — 69
UHA – 9 17 9 13 — 48
Crittenden County – Evans 15, N. Boone 14, Guess 13, Hunt 7, A. Boone 8, McDaniel 4, Stewart 4, Hatfield 4,
UHA – Davis 26, Love 12, Quarles 6, Bass 4
