Second-half slump costs Shelbyville

Eaglette senior Hannah Dawson fires off a shot over Cocke County's Shannon Depew. Dawson finished the game with 16 points. (T-G Photo by Gary Johnson) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

GREENEVILLE -- Entering the game with back-to-back wins in the GreenBank Ladies' Classic, Shelbyville Central played their best half of basketball in recent memory in the first half but totally fell apart in the second.

The Eaglettes totally dominated talented Cocke County in all phases of the game in the first half, leading 34-17 at intermission, while holding a 20-11 edge in rebounds and forcing their opponent to 14 turnovers.

As good as it was in the first half, it was as bad in the second as the Eaglettes ended up losing 57-53.

"We were like a 'Tale of Two Cities,' except in this case it was like the 'Tale of Two Halves,' " Eaglette coach Lynn Burkey said. "In the first half, that was the team we've been looking for. We executed our offense like a machine, defensively we gave them nothing easy and they really had to work for everything they got and we totally dominated the boards.

"As to the second half, I have no explanation. We had a good halftime and we didn't need to make any adjustments or changes. We just didn't put our hearts into it to the extent that we needed to. Not to take anything away from Cocke County, they are a real good team and a team that will have to be reckoned with."

The Eaglettes (9-6) were in command early and posted a 13-6 lead at the end of the opening frame before claiming their 17-point halftime advantage.

Shelbyville scored the first points of the second half to go up by 19, but things went south from that point.

Cocke County (14-3) outscored the Eaglettes 16-8 in the third to cut the lead to 42-33, then outscored them 24-14 in the final eight minutes to claim the victory, including a 15-0 run from the final two minutes of the third quarter until the three-minute mark of the fourth.

Shelbyville senior Hannah Dawson picked up her fifth foul with 5:58 left to play and the Eaglettes holding on to a 42-40 lead.

Cocke County took the lead for good with 1:19 showing.

Eaglette junior Ceny Phelps drives to the basket past Cocke County defender Jayla Lane. (T-G Photo by Gary Johnson) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The Eaglettes did have a couple of successful 3-pointers in the closing seconds to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Shelbyville point guard Janie Graves led all scorers with 19 points to go along with seven steals. Dawson added 16.

Morgan Buda and Shannon Depew led Cocke County with 14 tallies apiece.

"We needed a great effort for two halves to win this game and we only got one," Burkey said. "We as a team, both coaches and players, have got to get our heads right and our hearts right. That's what we're going to focus on this new year."

Shelbyville returns to action Tuesday night at District 8-AAA foe Columbia at 6:30.