By By Chandler Myers
A strong defensive effort by the entire Lady Cougars squad led the Escambia Academy varsity girls to a 58-36 victory over the Crenshaw Christian Cougars Friday night in Luverne.
The Lady Cougars (7-1, 0-0) defensive onslaught was shining throughout the game as the team forced 25 steals in the win.
Lady Cougars Head Coach Heath Gibson said his team’s defense was on fire from the opening tip.
Offensively, the Lady Cougars were led by senior center Jordan Jaye who posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. She also recorded four blocked shots and two steals.
Escambia Academy had control of the game from the beginning of the first period as they scored 19 points and held the Lady Cougars of Crenshaw to 10.
In the second period, the Lady Cougars of Canoe again outshot the home team putting up 14 points to Crenshaw’s 12 to go into the locker room with a 33-22 lead.
Post play was huge for the Lady Cougars in the both halves as their two leading scorers were down in the key.
Lady Cougars junior forward Amber Huskey finished the game with 13 points, while stealing eight passes, pulling down seven boards, blocking two shots and dishing out an assist.
In the third quarter, the offensive front continued as the EA Lady Cougars built on their comfortable lead by outscoring Crenshaw 17-8.
The Lady Cougars were able to easily secure their win in the final period as they again outscored Crenshaw Academy’s Lady Cougars 8-6 to pick up a huge 58-36 victory.
Gibson said his guards and post players did a great job of getting the ball in the hoop.
Cougars involved in the scoring included senior guard Kay Leigh Miller who scored 12 points. Miller also picked off six steals, handed out six assists and fought for two rebounds.
Junior forward Taylor Helton added three of a kind with five points, five rebounds and five steals. She also recorded two assists and a block.
Junior guards Kristin Matthews and Rachel Fuller scored two points apiece. The duo also posted had two steals, one rebound and assist.
The Lady Cougars next game is Saturday at Rocky Bayou in Niceville.
EA JV girls 41
Crenshaw JV 8
The Lady Cougars of Canoe junior varsity squad destroyed the Crenshaw Lady Cougars junior varsity 41-8 in Luverne on Friday night.
Lady Cougar Grayson Emmons led Escambia Academy with 10 points in the win. She also recorded eight steals, four rebounds and two assists.
The Cougars poured on points in the first quarter outscoring the Crenshaw Lady Cougars 14-1.
Things got better for the Lady Cougars of Canoe who again held Crenshaw to one point, while adding 10 to their lead to go into halftime ahead 24-2.
After halftime, the Lady Cougars continued to mount a lead on the other Lady Cougars scored 10 more points and held Crenshaw to one.
Crenshaw finally found the hoop in the final period scoring five points, but the EA Lady Cougars added to their lead one more time scoring seven points to pick up the 41-8 victory.
Lady Cougars involved in the scoring included Allie Brooks with eight points, six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.
Lacie Flowers added four points, while posting six steals, four rebounds and two assists.
Lulu McGhee also scored four points with four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Kortlan Peebles recorded three points in the win, while Paige Allen added two points with five rebounds, two steals and a block.
The Lady Cougars next game is Jan. 4 against Monroe Academy.