Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis High senior Monay Phillips drives toward the basket during the first half of Thursday's consolation semifinal against Amarillo Caprock in the Plateau Holiday Classic girls basketball tournament at Rock Staubus Gym. Phillips scored seven points to help the Lady Wildcats post a 48-38 win over the Lady Longhorns and advance to today's 5:50 p.m. fifth-place game against Piedra Vista.
CLOVIS — Teya Morris is scoring her points. She's just having to get them from the free throw line.
On Thursday night, the Clovis High junior got enough support from her teammates that the Lady Wildcats were able to break out of a five-game losing streak.
Morris scored 23 points, including 13-of-15 from the free throw line, and CHS posted a 48-38 victory over Amarillo Caprock in the consolation semifinals of the Plateau Holiday Classic at Rock Staubus Gym.
The Lady Cats (5-7) will look to make it two in a row when they face Piedra Vista (7-4), a 47-38 winner over St. Pius on Thursday, in today's 5:50 p.m. girls finale for fifth place.
Morris, who scored a career-best 29 points in a 56-61 first-round loss on Wednesdsay to Highland, had just three field goals through three quarters, but added three more in a nine-point, fourth-quarter performance.
No one else reached double figures for the Lady Cats, but three other starters finished with at least six points after almost everyone outside of Morris struggled against Highland.
After the teams combined for just nine points in the second quarter, the Lady Cats went on a 16-8 run in the third quarter to push their advantage to double figures, sparked when Morris scored off a set play on the first possesion of the period.
"I told the girls that we had to have a great third quarter, or we'd be fighting for it at the end," CHS coach Jeff Reed said. "When we got that easy basket (by Morris), it set the tone for us."
Junior guard Adut Angong scored 16 points for the Lady Longhorns (6-12), but missed much of the third quarter after picking up her third foul.
"We got their best player in foul trouble, and we were able to extend the lead," Reed said.
Caprock, whose zone press was ineffective early, threw up man-to-man pressure that hurt Clovis in the final quarter, but the Lady Longhorns were never able to get t hat close.
Reed is hopeful the Lady Cats can play well again tonight.
"Piedra Vista is going to be tough for us," he said. "We're going to have to get after it."
