With the Bryant White Lady Hornets eighth grade team of Bryant Middle School concentrating on slowing down Raija Todd, the leader of the Bryant Blue Lady Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School, the battle between the crosstown rivals (and future teammates) turned into a nail-biter.
But Baylee Rowton and Daniel Singleton stepped up for Bethel, combining for 16 points to lead Bryant Blue to a 22-17 win on Monday.
Bryant White held Todd to 2 points. Katie Evans and Anna Inman had 2 apiece as well.
Raven Loveless paced Bryant White with 11 points. Maddie Stephens finished with 4 and Kelly Williams 2.
“It was an exciting game,” said Bryant White coach Kenny Hays. “Both teams played very hard.”
“I was really pleased with the intensity of our girls,” stated Bryant Blue coach Rhonda Hall. “We had others step up and scored for us when they were keying on Raija. Baylee played as well as I have ever seen her play and it came at a good time. She and Stephanie Cullen hit the boards hard and did a good job on Loveless to hold her to four field goals.”
“I was proud of the effort given by our team,” Hays added. “Bethel was well prepared and they knocked down a couple more shots than we did.”
The defense was evident early. The first quarter ended with Blue up 3-2. That edge expanded to 9-5 at the half. It was 17-15 going into the fourth quarter with Blue limiting White to just 2 points in the final stanza.
Bethel improved to 5-0 on the season with the victory. After the holiday break, Bryant Blue travels to Cabot North for its first game of 2014 on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Bryant White, now 3-2, returns Monday, Jan. 2 at Conway White.
