Kendell Keene dropped in a game-high 19 points as the Alleghany Lady Mountaineers (2-0) rallied from a nine-point second half deficit to win their second game of the season following a 40-33 victory on the road against the Roanoke Catholic Celtics (1-2) on Thursday evening.
After a rough start to the game in which the Mountaineers were held scoreless over the first three minutes into the game while trailing 4-0, Keene hit a three-pointer with 4:45 left to go in the quarter to put the first points on the scoreboard for the Mountaineers.
However, the Mountaineers would go cold once again as the Celtics kept them off the scoreboard until 20 seconds left in the quarter which was the turning point of the game for the Mountaineers to shake off the games first seven minutes.
Trailing 6-3, the Keene knocked down her second three-pointer which tied the game. As the quarter came to an end, Macyn Cash dropped in a tough layup to give the Mountaineers their first lead at 8-6, while ending the quarter on a 5-0 scoring run. Cash finished the game with nine points.
The end of the first quarter didn’t carry over for the Mountaineers as tough defense from the Celtics kept the Mountaineers in check with just six points total for the quarter.
With under two minutes left in the first half, Alex Nance drained an open three-pointer from the top of the key to give the Celtics their first lead since leading 6-3 towards the end of the first quarter. Nance finished the game with a team-high 13 points for the Celtics.
The Celtics who ended the first half with momentum, carried it into the third quarter as the team scored with first seven points of the half and went on a 9-1 scoring run to take their largest lead of nine points at 24-15.
After scoring just one point in just the first five minutes of the third quarter, Cash fought through the full-court pressure and found Keene open for the layup and was fouled in the process. Keene made the free-throw to convert the three-point play to cut the lead down to six points at 24-18.
That play would set the Mountaineers up for a 10-0 scoring run to end the third quarter which was highlighted by Cash draining a three-pointer with under 10 seconds left to give the Mountaineers their first lead since leading 14-12 with less than two minutes left in the first half.
Meanwhile, the Celtics were held scoreless the final five minutes of the third.
Leading 25-24 entering the fourth quarter, Abbie Fridley hit a big three-pointer to open the scoring in the quarter to give the Mountaineers a four point lead.
After forcing a turnover on the next play, Cash would find an open Keene from left corner of the free-throw line to extend the Mountaineers lead to six at 30-24.
With a scoring drought at over eight minutes long, Nace hit one of two free-throws to cut the lead down to five points all while ending the Mountaineers 15-0 scoring run.
Keene would hit back to back jumpers to put the Mountaineers ahead at eight points with under three minutes left in the game.
In the final two minutes of the game, the Cash (4-for-4) and Kelsey Nicely (2-for-2) would go a combined 6-for-6 at the free throw line to help seal the victory. Leading 36-30 with under 20 seconds left in the game, Cash would knock down her four three throws to close out the teams second win of the season.
The Mountaineers pressure helped keep the Celtics in single digits scoring in each quarter.
The Mountaineers will host Buffalo Gap this evening at 6:00 p.m. in the teams home opener.
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Girls Basketball
Alleghany at Roanoke Catholic
Team 1 2 3 4 Ttl
AHS 8 6 11 15 40
RCHS 6 9 9 9 33
Alleghany Scoring: Keen 19, Cash 9, Fridley 5, Nicely 5, Zamera Hayslett 2
