Bell Buckle, Tenn. – After blowing an 11-point fourth-quarter lead at home to Cascade on January 21, the Community Viqueens (10-16, 2-5) came out on a mission, holding District 9-AA rival, the Lady Champions (11-12, 4-4), to their lowest point total this season in a 21-point win, 43-22, on Tuesday night.

Cascade shot a season-low 15% from the field and didn’t reach double-digits on the scoreboard until Lizzie Keele banked in a three-pointer to cut Community’s lead to 25-11 with 4:25 to go in the third quarter. The Viqueens held Cascade to just 4-25 shooting from downtown overall, but more importantly they were able to keep the Lady Champs out of the paint until late in the fourth quarter, forcing the hosts to settle from the outside. 

Community’s Mattie Maxey led all scorers with a game-high 13 points while Alyssa White chipped in with 13 points as well. Haskins was held to just five points on 2-7 shooting, but it didn’t matter in the end because of the Viqueens’ defensive activity all night long.

For Cascade, Lizzie Keele was the only Lady Champion to reach double-digits, scoring a team-high 10 points while also chasing down six offensive rebounds. Kaegan Young chipped in with seven points, but struggled from the field, shooting just 3-15 overall. The Viqueens held both Sophie Ray and Caroline Parker to a combined 0-19 shooting from the field with Parker splitting a pair of free throws for her only point.

To start, Cascade looked like they were going to have a hot shooting night from the outside. Kaydence Miller and Keele both connected on three-pointers on Cascade’s first couple possessions, taking a two-point lead, 6-4, less than two minutes into the game. However, the Viqueens stayed resilient in their 2-3 zone, and eventually got Alyssa White going down low in the post. After holding Cascade scoreless for the rest of the first quarter, Community took an 8-6 lead as the opening period came to a close.

In the second quarter, the Lady Champs hit an incredible cold spell that would last for the majority of the game. A Kaegan Young free throw line pull-up jumper on the fastbreak with about two minutes left in the first half were Cascade’s only points in the period as the Viqueens outscored the hosts, 14-2, to take a 22-8 lead into the halftime locker room. Cascade was held to just 3-24 shooting from the field in the first half, including 2-14 from downtown as the Lady Champs’ halfcourt offense muddled into the halftime break.

Lizzie Keele (11) connects on three of her team-high 10 points on Tuesday.

David Smith

Coming out for the third quarter, both teams seemed to have a lid on the basket, but after Keele’s three-pointer almost halfway through the period made it a 25-11 game, Community quickly responded with a White layup, sparking a 10-4 run over the final 4:20 to take a 35-15 lead into the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, the Lady Champs attempted to amp up their defensive pressure by getting into their full-court press, but in the end it was too little, too late. Community outscored Cascade, 8-7, in the final frame to run away with the 43-22 win. 

After defeating Chapel Hill on Friday night, Cascade had nothing to play for in terms of the district standings, already having locked up the 2-seed in the upcoming District 9-AA Tournament. Community will play in Chapel Hill on Friday before playing the Lady Rockets again on Monday in the 4-5 play-in game at Grundy County. 

Community improves to 10-16 (2-5).

Cascade falls to 11-12 (4-4) and will stay home for Senior Night on Thursday against Mt. Pleasant before traveling to Summertown on Friday. Both games will be LIVE on The Zinger 100.9 and AM 1400 starting at 5:45 p.m.