Bay Springs dominates
By By Robby Atkinson/staff writer
January 31, 2004
The Bay Springs Lady Bulldogs continued its supremacy among the teams in Division 7-2A by taking a very impressive 77-56 win on the road at Clarkdale on Friday night.
Bay Springs jumped out to a very quick 10-2 lead with 3:59 left in the first quarter on the strength of six points from point guard Kristi Martin. Bay Springs held an 18-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Clarkdale played an exceptional second quarter to make the game exciting.
Bay Springs opened the second quarter with two straight baskets from Nadosha Strickland to extend the lead to 22-8. Clarkdale started to cut into the lead with 5:39 remaining in the second on the pace of several fast break points from Felicia Kirksey to trim the Bay Springs lead to 24-16.
Clarkdale continued to chip away at the Bay Springs lead with 3:43 left in the first half with six points from Kristi Walker to make the score 31-23. Walker pulled down four offensive rebounds in the small run for Clarkdale, but Bay Springs recaptured the momentum in the final two minutes of the first half.
Martin scored eight points in the final two minutes and Strickland added six in a run that gave Bay Springs a 40-27 lead at halftime.
Bay Springs pulled away in the third quarter by forcing seven Clarkdale turnovers that led to points.
Martin led the way for Bay Springs with a team-high 23 points and Strickland added 19 in the win. Kirksey led Clarkdale with a game-high 31 points and Veronica Newell chipped in with nine points in the home loss.
Bay Springs improved to 23-1 overall and Clarkdale dropped to 7-13 for the season. Bay Springs returns to action today at home against South Jones at 6 p.m. and Clarkdale hits the road on Tuesday at Nanih Waiya.
Bay Springs boys 73
Clarkdale 56
Bay Springs improved its record to 18-6 with a 17-point win to stay within striking distance in the race for the Division 7-2A regular season championship. Bay Springs trailed Heidelberg by one game entering action on Tuesday night.
Bay Springs only led 34-24 at the end of the first half, but took total control of the game in the third quarter. Reggie Shellwood scored 12 points in the third quarter that proved to be a big difference maker as Bay Springs took the victory.
Shellwood ended the night with a game-high 23 points and Terrance Smith added 17 in the win.
Shannon Henley led Clarkdale (9-11) with a game-high 27 points in the tough loss for Clarkdale.
