CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Kenwood girls basketball hosted Houston County Friday in the two team’s first game of the Zaxby’s Holiday Tournament.
The Lady Knights remained in striking distance for most of the contest, but could never quite get over the proverbial hump and fell 56-48 to the Lady Irish.
Houston County began the game on a 7-0 run, but Kenwood chipped away at the lead to cut the deficit to one point at the end of the opening quarter.
Traps and constant on-ball pressure by the defense forced Houston County into numerous turnovers, allowing the Lady Knights to get back into the game.
“Defensively, I don’t think there was anything that caused us to lose the game,” said Kenwood girls basketball coach Charles Clark. “I thought we were right on point and were able to do some things that we normally do. We’ve been a pretty sound and solid team for the majority of the year on defense. I was proud of the effort and our ability to get the tempo like we wanted. I agree we were right where we wanted to be on the defensive end.”
Kenwood was able to get some shots to fall in the second quarter and led 28-22 at the halftime break. After the game, Clark couldn’t pinpoint exactly what occurred in the second half, as to why the momentum switched back in the corner of the Lady Irish.
“I don’t know what changed,” Clark said. “I think at the end of the day when you look at it, we missed a lot of free throws in a stretch where it was a three to five-point game. I think when we couldn’t hit a couple one-and-ones, it kind of killed our spirit a little bit.”
The Lady Knights failed to capitalize on a number of looks inside from point-blank range and shot a lackluster 50 percent from the charity stripe. Clark believes a lapse in concentration may have prevented his group from ultimately taking control of the game.
“We just have to keep working on it,” Clark said. “We harp on it as coaches in practice. Maybe it’s our focus or maybe it’s fatigue at times. A coach told me fatigue can make a coward and I think when you get tired, you can lose that focus. We’ll continue to keep preaching and working in practice. Hopefully we can put four quarters together and be successful.”
Reagan Fisher led Kenwood with a team-high 12 points while Iyanna Curtis poured in 11 points for the Lady Knights.
Houston County’s Josey Gant scored a game-high 16 points. Allie Black finished in double figures with 11 points and Holly Elliot chipped in eight points for the Lady Irish.
On Saturday, Kenwood lost to Northeast 51-41 in the consolation round of the Zaxby’s Holiday Tournament.
The Lady Knights were led in scoring by Shayanna Vaughn with 11 points.