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NEWSLETTER SIGN UPWinder-Barrow 59, Grayson 43
WBHS 10 20 16 13—59
GHS 13 7 10 13—43
Winder-Barrow—Mimi Hill 9 1-1 19, Brittany Witt 3 5-8 12, McKenzie Palette 2 2-4 6, Kelsey Palette 2 0-0 5, Rebekah Autry 2 0-0 4, Lauren Hamel 2 0-0 4, Shant Finch 1 0-0 3, Emily Miers 1 0-0 3, Ashley Waits 1 0-0 3, Delorean Itabiyi 0 0-2 0. Totals 23 8-15 59.
Grayson—Taren White 6 0-0 13, Anela Durmic 4 4-6 12, Tiara James 3 1-3 7, Courtney Lee 2 0-0 4, Sadie Caudell 2 0-0 4, Lauren Ball 1 1-2 3, Alexis Wilson 0 0-2 0. Totals 18 6-13 43.
3-pointers—Winder-Barrow 5 (Witt, Finch, Miers, K. Palette, Waits); Grayson 1 (White). Rebounds—Winder-Barrow 41 (Witt 7); Grayson 28 (Ball 6, James 6). Personal fouls—Winder-Barrow 11; Grayson 14.
ztaylor@barrowcountynews.com
SNELLVILLE – The Lady Doggs finally got a chance to lead rather than follow.
Winder-Barrow (5-7) led Grayson for the final three quarters on the way to a 59-43 win in the seventh-place game Wednesday night at the Deep South Classic.
WBHS Center Mimi Hill scored 14 of her team-high 19 points in the third quarter to expand a 10-point lead over Grayson at halftime, and stifle any attempt at a rally by the Rams.
Winder-Barrow’s final game of the tournament at Brookwood High School played out in stark contrast to their first two games.
Against Brookwood and Peachtree Ridge the Lady Doggs fell behind and spent most of the game playing catch-up, translating into two losses.
Winder-Barrow did finish the first quarter behind Grayson 13-10, but Hill recorded a traditional three-pointer early in the second quarter to tie the game.
Doggs point guard Lauren Hamel gave her side a 15-13 lead on the next possession and Winder-Barrow never looked back.
Guard Brittany Witt (12 points) recorded Winder-Barrow’s next five points to expand the lead early in the second quarter.
Lady Doggs guard Rebekah Autry capped off a 20-point second quarter with a field goal to put WBHS up 10 at the half.
In the first two games of the tournament Winder-Barrow Head Coach Brenda Hill-Gilmore didn’t get enough production from her bench.
Against Grayson the bench players quickly made an impact on offense and defense.
“I talked to the bench before the game and I told them that we have to get production from them,” Hill said. “They stepped up to the challenge.”
The bench scored a combined 17 points during the contest, led by junior McKenzie Palette (6 points, 5 rebounds).
Her younger sister Kelsey Palette added five points, including one of three treys made by the bench.
The Rams didn’t have the same balance offensively, as guards Taren White (13 points) and Anela Durmic (12 points) shouldered the load.
White opened the second half with a basket, and guard Sadie Caudell followed with a put-back to bring Grayson within six points early in the third quarter.
Hill single-handedly squashed the rally, scoring her team’s first eight points of the quarter and finishing with 14 of the Doggs 16 points in the third.
When the quarter ended Winder-Barrow held onto a 46-30 lead.
The Doggs stayed ahead by double-digits the rest of the night.
Winder-Barrow will return to action Jan. 8 when they open their sub-region schedule against rival Apalachee (6-5) at 7 p.m. Friday at home.
