Lady Blues can’t keep up with top-ranked Glen Rose

It’s tough to face the top-ranked team in a season even once, let alone twice due to the district alignment. And for the Lady Blues, though they played a better game than the first matchup they still ended with the same result as the visiting Lady Tigers earned a 54-19 win.

Down a few starters due to illnesses and injuries, the Graham Lady Blues fought hard Friday, Feb. 2 for all four quarters against one of the best teams in the state in Class 4A. While the result still didn’t go Graham’s way, they played a better game overall against stiff competition.

“I thought, overall, as far as effort and just the physicality of the game, we did a better job especially when you compare the first game to the second game of just competing against them,” head coach Kyle Wood said. “They’re a tough matchup; they’re number one for a reason.”

The Lady Blues came out aggressive on both sides of the ball. While Glen Rose ultimately scored first and went up 5-0, Graham had multiple shots at the basket before that happened.

Senior Madi Wilde got her team on the board with a 3-pointer from the wing on an inside-out assist from junior Fayth Bryer. It was the first of two 3-pointers the team made in the contest.

The rest of Graham’s scoring in the opening quarter came from junior Emi Gordy. She had four points in the period, aggressively attacking the offensive glass for a putback and later finding herself open for a close shot off an assist from sophomore Briley Randall. At the end of one quarter, the Lady Blues trailed 15-7.

In the last matchup between these two teams, Glen Rose had put up 25 points before Graham scored their first points. So although they still trailed, the Lady Blues were already playing a better game than the first time.

Gordy kept the scoring for her team going in the second quarter as she scored five straight points in the opening minutes. The junior knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing and later received a drive-and-dish pass from sophomore Mayci Ryans for two points inside.

However, the rest of the team struggled to find the bottom of the basket the rest of the period and by halftime, Glen Rose held a 32-12 lead.

“I just thought (we did) the little things that help you stay in games,” Wood said. “I thought we made it tough; we were more physical underneath. We fought, when a shot was going up, we fought for the position better for rebounds.”

The third quarter was a defensive battle as Graham managed to slow down Glen Rose’s offensive attack somewhat. Wilde hit a mid-range jump shot from the elbow and Gordy had a 1-of-2 trip to the free throw line. And the Lady Blues held the Lady Tigers to just seven points in the quarter.

By the fourth quarter the outcome wasn’t in question but the Lady Blues continued to fight to the final buzzer. Ryans and junior Hallie Gough each made a free throw in the period while Gordy scored another two points. But when the game ended the Lady Tigers had clinched the 54-19 victory.

“We’re shorthanded with the sickness bug…but I was just proud of the way that they didn’t let that influence how we decided to come out and battle,” Wood said. “Instead, we controlled what we could and went out and tried to compete to the best of our ability.”

Gordy finished the game with a team-high 12 points and was second on the team with five rebounds. Wilde ended with 5 points and four rebounds while Bryer led with six rebounds and Randall finished with five.

JV Results

The Lady Blues lost to the Lady Tigers 40-22. Savannah Fricks led the team with 7 points as the Lady Blues did most of their scoring in the fourth quarter and showed improvement throughout the game.