Horn Lake beats Terry, moves closer to defending title

image and article from March 7, 2015 ClarionLedger.com

The game seemed like one on the line when Tae’lour Richardson put up Horn Lake’s final shot.
With less than 20 seconds remaining in the MHSAA Class 6A girls quarterfinals, the junior guard grabbed an offensive rebound and threw up a shot that fell in.

The Horn Lake bench jumped and screamed in celebration. But the game had already been won long before Richardson’s basket put the finishing touches in the Lady Eagles’ 57-21 victory over Terry Saturday at the Mississippi Coliseum.

The Lady Eagles, last year’s 6A champion, were determined to prove they can repeat.
Jumping out on a 9-0 run in the first quarter, Horn Lake (27-4) never trailed despite shooting 16-of-45 from the field throughout.

“We definitely have had a chip on our shoulder. I don’t think at any point we’ve been looked at as a defending state champion,” Horn Lake coach Janna Thompson said. “There’s been a lot of talk about everybody else. This is the time of year we should be playing our best basketball and we’re finally clicking on some things that we weren’t earlier.”

Repeat trips up and down the floor on long runs wore down Terry (24-8) and gave the Lady Eagles a 10-point halftime lead.

Horn Lake then outscored Terry 32-6 in the second half. Richardson tabbed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Rodneyshia Martin added 15 for the Lady Eagles.

“It was a matter of experience — them being here before — versus inexperience,” Terry coach Tiffany Porter said.

Sophomore Dandy Dozen guard Nyah Tate was 1-of-8 on foul shots. As a team, Terry made 9-of-20 baskets from the free-throw line and shot 16 percent from the field.

“(Tate) is such an emotional player and she feeds off what she does offensively,” Porter said. “With her stepping up and missing those first two free throws, I kind of saw it in her face. She’s young, she’s only 15. Once she gets down on herself, it’s hard for her to pick herself up.”

Not long ago, Horn Lake shared the same identity as Terry: a young team looking for its shot in 6A.
Now, the Lady Eagles look to go one step further when they face Starkville in Wednesday’s semifinals.




Key Player
Tae’lour Richardson, Horn Lake
The junior guard recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds despite playing with four fouls.

Key figure
9
Of its 20 free throw attempts, Terry only made nine shots from the line and shot 16 percent from the field.