Hillcrest battles Simpson to overtime
Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
The senior-freshman duo of Amber Divinity and Christina Berryhill combined for 32 points as the Hillcrest Lady Cougars edged Simpson 49-44 in overtime last night in Byram. It was the District 3-AA opener for both squads and the atmosphere reflected how critical gaining an early December win in district play was.
Simpson would control early on in the opening quarter as sophomore Brittany Gardner accounted for six points to give SCA a 7-4 lead with just under five minutes gone.
Hillcrest took their first lead at 7-6 on two Kayla McAdams free throws but Simpson would close the quarter with a Lauren Griffin offensive board and put-back to take a slim 12-10 lead into the second quarter.
Simpson would control early on in the opening quarter as sophomore Brittany Gardner accounted for six points to give SCA a 7-4 lead with just under five minutes gone.
Hillcrest took their first lead at 7-6 on two Kayla McAdams free throws but Simpson would close the quarter with a Lauren Griffin offensive board and put-back to take a slim 12-10 lead into the second quarter.
(Above) Hillcrest senior Amber Divinity (#3) with a 2nd quarter driveWith Simpson clinging to a 14-10 lead at the 6:55 mark of the second quarter Hillcrest freshman Christina Berryhill took charge. Berryhill drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key and converted a basket off a steal to push the Lady Cougars to a 15-14 advantage. Berryhill’s driving basket with 1:27 remaining in the half gave Hillcrest their biggest lead at 23-16 as the Lady Cougars produced a 13-4 run to end the half on top 26-18.
Amber Divinity’s offensive rebound and basket halfway through the third quarter gave Hillcrest a nine point cushion at 28-19 but Simpson started heating up. Lauren Griffin canned a 3-pointer from the wing and both Callie Martin and Griffin pulled down offensive rebounds and scored to narrow the deficit to 28-26 with 1:48 left in the quarter.
(Above) Hillcrest freshman Christina Berryhill (#12) drains a 3-pointer
Simpson would draw even with Hillcrest at 33-33 at the 4:11 mark of the fourth quarter on a Lauren Welch 3-pointer from the wing and took the lead on Brittany Gardner’s bucket at 35-33 following a Hillcrest turnover.
In a fourth quarter that was tied two times and produced five lead changes it came down to clutch shooting from both squads to extend the contest into overtime. With Hillcrest hanging on to a 38-37 lead Simpson senior Lauren Welch sank a 3-pointer from the corner with 59 seconds remaining to put SCA on top 40-38.
Hillcrest knotted the game at 40-40 as Christina Berryhill calmly canned two free throws with 41 seconds remaining in regulation.
Two minutes into the overtime period and tied at 42-42 Hillcrest senior Amber Divinity’s half court steal and lay-up gave the Lady Cougars a slim two point lead but an offensive rebound and score from Simpson sophomore Brittany Gardner evened the score again at 44-44 with 1:22 remaining.
The final 21 seconds of the overtime period is where the Hillcrest senior-freshman combination of Divinity and Berryhill shined. Berryhill drilled a 3-pointer from the wing as the Hillcrest student body erupted and Divinity canned two free throws with 9 seconds left to seal up a big District 3-AA battle over Simpson at 49-44.
Amber Divinity’s offensive rebound and basket halfway through the third quarter gave Hillcrest a nine point cushion at 28-19 but Simpson started heating up. Lauren Griffin canned a 3-pointer from the wing and both Callie Martin and Griffin pulled down offensive rebounds and scored to narrow the deficit to 28-26 with 1:48 left in the quarter.
(Above) Hillcrest freshman Christina Berryhill (#12) drains a 3-pointerSimpson would draw even with Hillcrest at 33-33 at the 4:11 mark of the fourth quarter on a Lauren Welch 3-pointer from the wing and took the lead on Brittany Gardner’s bucket at 35-33 following a Hillcrest turnover.
In a fourth quarter that was tied two times and produced five lead changes it came down to clutch shooting from both squads to extend the contest into overtime. With Hillcrest hanging on to a 38-37 lead Simpson senior Lauren Welch sank a 3-pointer from the corner with 59 seconds remaining to put SCA on top 40-38.
Hillcrest knotted the game at 40-40 as Christina Berryhill calmly canned two free throws with 41 seconds remaining in regulation.
Two minutes into the overtime period and tied at 42-42 Hillcrest senior Amber Divinity’s half court steal and lay-up gave the Lady Cougars a slim two point lead but an offensive rebound and score from Simpson sophomore Brittany Gardner evened the score again at 44-44 with 1:22 remaining.
The final 21 seconds of the overtime period is where the Hillcrest senior-freshman combination of Divinity and Berryhill shined. Berryhill drilled a 3-pointer from the wing as the Hillcrest student body erupted and Divinity canned two free throws with 9 seconds left to seal up a big District 3-AA battle over Simpson at 49-44.
(Above) Callie Martin (#23) of Simpson gets a jumper off
Divinity and Berryhill each had 16 points to lead Hillcrest. Kristen Kliesch added 8 points, Kayla McAdams 7 and Jaden Goff 2.
Brittany Gardner led Simpson with 12, Lauren Welch added 10, Lauren Griffin 8, Kasey McWilliams 5, Hallie Stubbs 4, Abby Dunston and Callie Martin with 2 each and Natalie Sullivan 1.
Hillcrest improves to 5-4 and 1-0 while Simpson falls to 6-2 and 0-1.
