Ben Whitehead
VELMA — One of the things Velma-Alma coach Jerry Garrett has hoped for this season is that his team would put together a complete game. He got his wish Saturday night.
The Lady Comets shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc en route to a 61-47 win over the Comanche Lady Indians on Velma-Alma’s Homecoming night. Connor Southerland led the Lady Comets in scoring with 16 points. Kaylee Sanner and Kaitlin Anderson each added 14 and Velma-Alma improved to 11-9 with the win.
Comanche dropped to 3-12 despite Stephanie Dunlap’s 20 point and nine rebound performance.
Kylee Saville hit a 3-pointer to break a first quarter tie. The Lady Comets used the momentum to push their lead to 21-12 with just over three minutes to go before halftime.
The remaining three minutes belonged to the Lady Indians. Dunlap scored seven points in the quarter including a 3-pointer to pull the Lady Indians within 25-23. But Jayden Richardson answered with a three of her own at the buzzer to swing momentum back in favor of the Comets at the half.
“To me, when we play with that kind of energy for the whole game, we’re a better team,” Garrett said. “Jayden’s three at the end of the half was a big play. You know, she broke her wrist during Christmas break, so having her back will definitely help us offensively.”
The Lady Comets broke through in the second half as Sanner’s bucket at the end of the third quarter pushed Velma-Alma’s lead to 10.
Ashley Spann hit a 3-pointer and Mica Allen-Smith hit a free throw to cut the lead to 52-47. Sanner answered with a 3-pointer and the Lady Comets converted their free throws down the stretch to outscore the Lady Indians 9-0 to close out the game.
“We just didn’t have it at the end to get over the hump,” Comanche coach Sean Hushbeck said. “We fought hard to get back in it but free throws were the difference in the game.”
The Lady Comets made 23-of-35 free throws while the Lady Indians made 11-of-26.
“I thought our guard play was really good tonight,” Garrett said. “I was really proud of Kaylee. She probably played her best game tonight. And Connor hit some really big shots. She’s got to do that for us.
“We did a good job of finishing the game. We played great throughout the majority of the game but really pulled it together at the end.”
— Ben Whitehead is a sports writer for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354, Ext. 165, or via e-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.
