The Shadow
BY ADAM CRAWFORD
Sports Editor
BUENA VISTA – There was a shortage of offense, but the defense came with every possession of Friday night’s Pioneer District Tournament title tilt between the Lady Cougars and the Knights of James River.
In the end, it was the Knights who walked away with a 27-22 victory to claim the tournament title.
Both teams must have left their offense in their respective home locker rooms as neither lit the nets up. Covington connected on just 15 percent (8-of-52) of their shots, while the Knights were not much better, hitting 26 percent (10-of-39) of their shot attempts.
Covington, the Pioneer District regular season champions, were already assured of a first round bye for next week’s Region C, Division 1 tournament, but were still disappointed with the loss.
“It means something every time you step out on the floor,” said Cougar coach Mark Pifer following the loss. “We went out there with the intentions of going home with a win, but we just didn’t show up ready to play in the first half.”
The Lady Knights (21-4) jumped out to an early 4-0 lead behind baskets from Ashley King and Kaye Woods, but Covington’s Mary Woodson countered with an old-fashioned three-point play to pull the Lady Cougars within one.
King added another bucket and Morgan Hufford canned a triple from the wing to increase James River’s lead to 9-3 with 4:49 to play in the opening quarter, but the Cougars rallied down the stretch with a 5-0 run to cut their deficit to one heading into the second quarter.
Sa’Mone Moore’s baseline jumper with 6:18 left in the first half pulled the Cougars within one, 11-10, but the Knights scored the next six points to take a 17-10 lead until Woodson ended Covington’s three minute scoreless drought with a stickback.
Hufford added a runner and Taylor England’s layup with 1:31 to play in the second quarter gave James River a 21-12 lead at the break.
The second half was all about defense as the Cougars limited the Knights to just six points. The only problem with that – Covington only managed to pour in 10 second half points themselves.
The Lady Cougars outscored the Knights 7-3 in the third quarter to pull within five, 24-19, heading into the fourth quarter, where both teams would record just three points apiece.
The teams played nearly seven minutes of scoreless basketball that spanned the third and fourth quarters until Moore drained a three-pointer with 2:10 remaining in the game to pull Covington with two, 24-22.
James River’s King countered with a quick bucket to push the Knights’ lead back to four and Hufford added a late free throw for the 27-22 final.
“I thought we had a great second half defensively,” stated Pifer. “We got some open looks at the basket, we just couldn’t get any shots to fall.”
King led all scorers with 14 points, while Hufford added eight.
Moore led the Cougars with 11 points, while Woodson added six points to go along with 10 rebounds.
Moore represented the Cougars on the All-Tournament team, while Hufford and King represented the Knights. Craig County’s Anna Smith and Bath County’s Jailyn Ford rounded out the five-player squad.
Covington (17-8) draws the No. 2 seed in next week’s Region C, Division 1 girl’s basketball tournament and will receive a first round bye. The Lady Cougars will return to the court in Friday’s semifinals at Eastern Montgomery High School against the winner of Wednesday’s quarterfinal game between Bland County and Northwood.
“Ideally we would like to get back on the court, but we earned the bye that we got,” said Pifer. “Win one game and we’re in the state tournament.”
