wins in Christmas Tourney

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

The Carver Lady Wolverines showed no mercy in their 69-23 drilling of the Lanier Lady Poets in game one of the sixth annual Charles Henderson High School Christmas Classic Monday.

Lanier was stopped cold by the all-out defensive pressure of the Lady Wolverines in the 46-point blowout. CHS head coach Michelle Simmons said her team’s depth as well as their love for defense will be key to their success.

"I felt really good about the defensive effort," Simmons said. "We’re the type of team that likes to turn our defense into offense and we’re just a pressure team.

"I think our bench is going to be real important to us this year," she added. "I feel like we can call any three or four kids to come out and take a position and expect them to really help out."

Scoring was hard to come by for both teams in the early going, but Carver put together an 11-0 run early in the second quarter and never let up. Carver guard Amy white exploded in the period to the tune of 14 points including two long-range treys.

To end the half the Lady Wolverines drilled two 3-pointers and converted on an inbounds steal underneath their own basket to take a 33-14 lead at the break.

Lanier could only muster four points in the third and five in the fourth as Carver never let up on their full-court press.

Amy White led five Carver players in double figures with 18 points. Kim Perry notched 11 for CHS, while Bridgett Boykin, Keshia Harris and Valencia Boswell all hit for 10 apiece.

Game 2: Calhoun 64,

Clayton 35

In the second girls’ game of the night the Lady Tigers of Calhoun easily gave the Clayton girls their walking papers in a 64-35 win.

Head coach Ladonya Williams was proud of the way her team came out hustling from the start.

"Tonight we just worked on containing the defense and worked on coming out with a good start," Williams said. "We’ve started out slow in most games, but we picked up today and really played well from the start."

The Lady Tigers had five players scoring at least eight points and most of their bench saw playing time in the contest.

Katrina Crabtree led all scorers with 14, Patrice Carter notched 13 and Lacreshia Brown had 10 to round out the Calhoun scorers in double figures.

Now the Lady Tigers will matchup against the Lady Wolverines today in the first game of the day. Williams said she has already prepped her girls for the all-out press of Caver.

"We’ve already discussed them setting the press break tonight," Williams said. "I’ve told them they are going to have to react quicker than they did tonight."

Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. with the winner taking on CHHS in the Championship match.