Freshman point guard Jada Guinn (24) led Oak Ridge with 13 points during a 42-34 win over Dobyns-Bennett at Wildcat Arena on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
The Lady Wildcats defense played its best game of the year as Oak Ridge beat Dobyns-Bennett 42-34 at home on Friday, Coach Paige Green said.
The Lady Wildcats missed 13 layups and 14 or 15 free throws, Green said. But, “we can fix layups and free throws,” Green said during the two-day Rick McGill Toyota Classic at Wildcat Arena.
The teams exchanged leads in the first half. Oak Ridge trailed 7-8 at the end of the first quarter, and the Lady Wildcats led 18-15 at halftime. Oak Ridge kept a narrow 28-26 lead through the third quarter after Dobyns-Bennett tied it at 24, but the Lady Wildcats outscored the Lady Indians 14-8 in the final quarter.
Freshman point guard Jada Guinn led Oak Ridge (8-2, 5-0 District 3-AAA) with 13 points, and she scored nine of those in the fourth quarter.
Guinn played at point guard on Friday like she should have been playing all year, Green said.
Dobyns-Bennett (4-5, 1-0 District 1-AAA) was led by two post players, freshman Courtney Whitson (5’11”) and junior Lauren Salyer (6’0″). Whitson scored 10 points, and Salyer had seven.
Senior Caelyn Thompson started the early scoring for Oak Ridge, picking up seven of her nine points in the first quarter.
Junior Courtney Ellison added eight points for the Wildcats in the second half.
Green said the Lady Wildcats performed well handling the Dobyns-Bennett pressure, and then they found a way to win.
“They grew tonight,” Green said.
Oak Ridge will play Science Hill (9-3, 1-1 District 1-AAA) today (Saturday, December 19) in the second day of the Rick McGill Toyota Classic. That game starts at 2 p.m. (The Oak Ridge boys play the Science Hill boys at 3:30 p.m.)
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Sophomore Haleigh Salyer (10) of Dobyns-Bennett looks for a pass to freshman Courtney Whitson (35) or junior Lauren Salyer (42) during a 42-34 loss to Oak Ridge at Wildcat Arena on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. Defending at center is junior Courtney Ellison (10), who scored eight points for the Lady Wildcats. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge senior Caelyn Thompson (22), who scored all seven points for the Lady Wildcats in the first quarter, defends here against freshman Courtney Whitson (35) of Dobyns-Bennett during a 42-34 win at Wildcat Arena on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge sophomore Desiree Bates (20) had back-to-back blocks for the Lady Wildcats during a 42-34 win over Dobyns-Bennett at home on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Junior Courtney Ellison (10) scored eight points for the Lady Wildcats in the second half of a 42-34 win over Dobyns-Bennett at home on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. Also pictured is sophomore post Mykia Dowdell (34), who was held to thee points. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
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