By Adam Gore

Chickasaw Journal

PITTSBORO - Misty Pryor banked in a jumper from the key to help the Lady Cougars hold off a scrappy bunch of Lady Eagles from Hebron Christian and escape with a 31-29 region victory.

amp"Hebron has had our numbers for the past few years,amp" said Calhoun head coach Sonny Wright.

amp"They played Heritage a real good game before the Christmas break so I knew they were beginning to come around and it was going to be a tough game.amp"

It appeared that Hebron had an early advantage over the Lady Cougars simply by having one more player on the bench than Calhoun after both teams were whistled for twenty-one fouls in the first half.

Hebron closed the first quarter on a 4-0 run to take a 9-7 lead, but struggled in the second as Kelci McCormick heated up to score all seven points for Calhoun in the quarter to give the Lady Cougars a 14-12 halftime lead.

Both teams started the second half slightly hesitant due to just about everyone being in foul trouble, but Calhoun was able to get their offense going late in the quarter to outscore the Lady Eagles 8-5 in the third to take a 22-17 lead into the final frame.

Laura Beth Moore took over the opening moments of the fourth to score six straight points to pull Hebron to a 25-22 ballgame before Maci Towery banked in a three-pointer to tie the game with 4:45 left in regulation.

The game would stay tied until Deanna Reynolds got a put-back basket after grabbing an offensive rebound at the 1:39 mark. Brittney Sutherland made one-of-two from the line to give Calhoun a 28-25 lead, but Hebron answered with a three from Lincoln Pearson to tie the game with 41.4 seconds left.

The Lady Cougars looked to go inside to Sutherland, but the Lady Eagles defense slapped the interior pass away from the senior center and into the hands of Pryor who quickly fired a shot from the key that banked its way in to give Calhoun a 30-28 lead.

amp"Misty and the rest of our guards have been shooting the ball really well since the Kemper game... so we aren't afraid to take the outside shot right now,amp" Wright said.

Hebron advanced the ball to half court and took a timeout to set up a play. They quickly moved the ball around the perimeter looking for an open three but Calhoun's defense was keying on the guards. Moore got position in the paint and was fouled on a turn-around jumper sending her to the line for a pair of free throws with 6.8 seconds to play.

The first free throw rattled around and fell throw, but the second attempt did not have the same shooter's roll. Sutherland grabbed the rebound and was quickly fouled by the Lady Eagles. Like Moore, she rattled home the first attempt throw but missed the second. Hebron struggled to find a handle on the rebound as time expired on the game without the Lady Eagles getting off a final shot allowing Calhoun to hold on for the 31-29 region victory.

amp"That seems to be all we are fighting for is that we care enough to give a good effort,amp" said Hebron head coach Sam Pearson amp"We are really young and not getting it done right now, but hopefully by the end of the season we will be a lot better.amp"

amp"We hit a few shots there at the end. Our defense is what helped us win and that has been the key to our success this season,amp" Wright said.

McCormick led the Lady Cougars with 9 while Moore led all scorers with 10 for the Lady Eagles.