Gracie Hill leaps to make a steal in Hartselle’s 57-19 win over Decatur. Photo by Jim Meadows.
HARTSELLE – The Hartselle Lady Tigers (15-6) improved to 2-0 in area play with a commanding 57-19 win over visiting Decatur. The Lady Tigers have won six in a row and eight of their last ten.
Hartselle started the game slow offensively, but the defense was locked in. Decatur scored the first basket of the game, however, Mary Francis Itsede tied the game at 2-2 with 5:35 left in the first quarter. Emma Roden put Hartselle up for good with a basket at the 4:32 mark. The Lady Tigers outscored the Lady Red Raiders 8-2 the rest of the quarter to take a 12-4 lead into the second quarter.
Decatur opened the second quarter with a layup to cut the Hartselle lead to 12-6. Hannah Burks answered with a three-point to extend the lead to 15-6. After a Lady Red Raiders three-point play, the Lady Tigers got a Gracie Hill three and two free throws from Emma Roden to push the lead to 20-9. Decatur responded with a 5-3 run to make the score 23-14 with 2:39 left before halftime. Hartselle closed out the half with three-pointers from Burks and Ella Springer and four points from Anna Claire Gladden. The Lady Tigers led 33-14 at halftime.
The Lady Red Raiders scored to open the third quarter and cut the lead to 33-16. However, the rest of the quarter belonged to Hill, Anna Hampton Burroughs and the Lady Tigers. Hill and Burroughs combined for 18 points to lead Hartselle to a 20-0 run over the remainder of the third quarter. Hill hit three 3-pointers and Burroughs connected on two. The Lady Tigers led 53-16 heading to the fourth.
Burks and Gladden each scored two points in the final quarter, which was played with a running clock, to make the final score 57-19.
The Lady Tigers hit a season-high 12 three-pointers in the victory. Hill led the way with five, while Burroughs had three. Burks and Springer added two each.
The Hartselle defense had 15 steals and forced 27 turnovers.
Hill finished with 18 points, two assists and three steals to lead the Lady Tigers. Burks added 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks, while Burroughs had nine points, two assists and three steals. Gladden and Springer each had six points. Gladden had five rebounds, while Spring had four assists and four steals.
Hartselle will travel to East Limestone on Thursday and then to Muscle Shoals on Friday.