Hammond Girls Advance to Section 10 Final

#50 Nicole Davidson of Hammond pulls down a rebound against OFA. Nicole led the Red Devils with 18 points.
Photo by: Jeff Bunstone

Both teams met earlier this year in the OFA Christmas tournament, where OFA prevailed with a 17 point victory, 51-34. This game was much much different and both teams came ready to play. In the first quarter, the lady Blue Devils looked like they were going to control the tempo and play of the game as they got a quick three to start the game, and three steals to follow. Yet, Hammond got some great inside looks, and used a nice inside-out game to produce a 12-9 first quarter lead. In the second, Hammond continued to pour it on. With OFA shooting ice cold and not making fast break lay-ups, Hammond went up by six on a Katlyn Hunt three pointer 21-15. Then with time winding down in the first half, OFA cut the Red Devil lead with 2:15 left when Megan Morrison nailed a three pointer and trailed 25-22. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, they could not find a way to tie the game before the half as they turned the ball over in the closing seconds of the half. Hammond lead 30-26 at half-time. In the third quarter things began to heat up. Sixteen seconds into the third quarter Megan Morrison nailed a three to cut the Hammond lead to one, 30-29. Then seconds later Jordyn LaRock produced an and one to take their first lead since the opening minute of the ball game, 32-31. The lady Blue Devils went on a 7-0 run up until a minute left in the third to go up 50-43. The Red Devils answered with some spectacular foul shooting to keep the game close 50-49. In the fourth, Brittany Kenyon came out with a huge three pointer 35 seconds in to the quarter to reclaim the Hammond lead 52-50. After a huge OFA three ball, the Red Devils answered with an 8-0 run to take a 60-53 with 4:07 left to play. Just when the crowd thought Hammond was going to run away with it, Mark Henry's girls had a stand to make. In the next minute they cut the deficit to two points and trailed the Red Devils with 3:34 left in the game 60-58. But from there it would be all Red Devils as Hammond put together another stellar 7-0 run with two minutes to go. Hammond went on to win by the score of 71-66. The Red Devils advance to face Malone on Saturday at 1 P.M. at Maxcy Hall for the Overall Section X girls Championship. Jordan LaRock had 12 for the Blue Devils and Megan Morrison led all scorers with 27 points. Aubrie Dunn produced 13 and Nicole Davidson had 18 for the Red Devils. The Red Devils shot an impressive 70% from the foul line going 26 for 37. That proved to be the difference in the game.