By Kyle Parmley
PINSON — The fifth-ranked team in Class 6A would prove too much for the Lady Indians on Friday night.
Shades Valley walked away from Mike Dutton Gymnasium with a 75-40 victory over host Pinson Valley. The Lady Mounties scored at least 23 points in each of the first three quarters to cruise to the win.
Head coach Kristan Cromer coaches her Pinson Valley basketball team earlier this season.
file photo by Ron Burkett
“I felt we played well overall,” Shades Valley head coach Gary Ferguson said. “We are starting to gel.”
Pinson Valley cut into a nine-point lead with an 8-0 run to begin the second quarter. With the lead down to 25-24, Shades Valley immediately responded with a run that all but sealed the game. The Lady Mounties ripped off 18 unanswered points and finished the first half on a 24-1 run, and took a 49-25 advantage into the break.
“My philosophy is basketball is a game of runs. They make their run and we make our run. It comes down to whose run is going to outlast their run,” Ferguson said.
Two Lady Indians reached double-digit scoring on the evening, as Maralie McKinney led the squad with 11 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc. Alex Lowery scored five of her 10 in the first quarter.
Katelyn Thomas led all scorers in the game with 16 points for Shades Valley. Teammate Camryn London poured in five 3-pointers on the way to a 15-point output.
Pinson Valley returns to the court Tuesday night, when the Lady Indians travel to take on Briarwood Christian.
