PC girls advance to semifinals
By Staff
Mike Self , FCT Sports Editor
PHIL CAMPBELL – Phil Campbell's one-two punch of Chasity Morgan and Caitlin Stancil was too much for Vina to handle, even on one of the Lady Red Devils' best shooting nights of the season.
Morgan and Stancil combined for 60 points on Tuesday as the Lady Bobcats withstood Vina's three-point barrage and advanced to the semifinals of the Franklin County Tournament with an 85-62 win.
Phil Campbell will face Belgreen on Thursday.
Morgan finished with a game-high 31 points, including 24 in the first half as Phil Campbell (8-13) took a 41-35 lead into the break.
"Chasity is capable of scoring how and when she wants to," head coach Amy Moss said. "She has the ability to blow by people because of her speed. She seems a little reluctant at times, but she's a great scorer."
Despite Morgan's big first half, Vina (3-16) stayed close thanks to some hot shooting.
Heather Holland scored 10 first-half points and Jessie Norwood made a pair of three-pointers, one of which capped off a 12-4 run that cut Phil Campbell's lead to 33-28 midway through the second quarter.
"They were really hot tonight," Moss said. "We kind of just stood around in the first half and played that matador defense, where we just wave at them as they go by. We'll definitely have to play better defense against Belgreen."
Stancil scored nine early points before picking up her third foul late in the first quarter. She sat out the entire second quarter but made up for lost time in the second half, scoring 20 of her career-high 29 points.
Despite her slim build, most of Stancil's points came either in the paint or at the foul line.
"We moved Caitlin to the post a few games ago," Moss said. "She doesn't look like much, but she has the ability to go up strong with the ball and draw fouls or finish the shot. Sometimes I wonder how many points she could score if she didn't get in foul trouble."
Norwood, Kayla Bridges and Lizette Martinez each made a three-pointer in the third quarter as Vina stayed hot, cutting what had been a 14-point lead down to five at 58-53.
"We're so used to seeing man-to-man, it was nice to actually get some open shots against a zone tonight," Vina coach Paul Humphres said.
Phil Campbell led 65-55 at the end of the third and then closed the game on a 16-2 run.
Holland led Vina with 17 points and Norwood added 16.
Shelly Cooper finished with 11 points for Phil Campbell.
