Lady Hawks win against Pike County

The Daleville girls basketball team won 42-23 Jan. 20 in a Class 3A, Area 4 game against Pike County despite a slow start from both teams.

"I was proud of the way we kept our composure," DHS girls basketball coach Zach Kelley said. "They were fouling a lot and tempers were kind of flaring there for a little bit. I’m just glad the girls held their composure and just fought through the adversity. I applaud them on that aspect. That’s a good thing."

Daleville put up the first 10 points of the game with baskets from Kiarra Pouncy, Raiven Hallford, Aleecea Harris and Ellyce Lascano.

"That was good to see," Kelley said. "It was a little bit backward, though, from what we’re used to. We’re used to finishing inside and missing our outside shots. Today we were making outside shots and missing inside shots. If we could ever get that going at the same time, we’ll be doing good."

Pike County scored its first basket with 8.6 seconds left in the first quarter, and the Lady Hawks carried a 10-2 lead into the second.

Both teams traded baskets to start the frame until DHS had a 16-6 advantage.

The Lady Bulldogs hit a shot, and Kenyetta Stephens drew a foul on Daleville's next trip down the floor.

She hit one of two free throws to give DHS a 17-8 advantage, which it took into the locker room at halftime.

"The second quarter was kind of stagnant," Kelley said. "We didn’t get a whole lot going. I don’t know if it was just the contact or what, but the girls started shying away from shots and kind of not really going up strong. We just had to go in at halftime and regroup. I thought we did a good job regrouping in the second half."

The Lady Hawks started the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 27-10 lead before Pike County outscored them 7-2 the rest of the frame.

Daleville carried a 29-17 advantage into the final frame.

"I thought we pressed really well," Kelley said. "We got a bunch of steals and a bunch of transition baskets. I wanted to kind of open it up for us there in the half-court game. I thought it was a good third quarter."

The Lady Hawks scored the first four points of the fourth quarter before PCHS pulled to within 33-20 with three points of its own.

A basket by LaJasha Fils-Aime' started a 6-0 Daleville run the Lady Bulldogs stopped with a 3.

Stephens answered with a 3-pointer of her own, which turned out to be the game's last basket.

"They hit a couple of shots I wish we would have kind of contested," Kelley said. "I guess we were a little bit tired. I know our guards were pretty winded. I kept trying to sub and keep them fresh, but they were a little winded. I thought we did a pretty good job."

Pouncy and Harris led Daleville with 10 points apiece. 

Hallford followed with eight, and Fils-Aime' scored six.

Stephens had five, Lascano scored two and LaTyana Raybon added one.