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Strong defense powers Viqueens to win

By RICKEY CLARDY ~ Sports Writer
Posted 11/20/21

UNIONVILLE —The Community Viqueens used a strong defensive effort and a 20-point second quarter to erase a first quarter deficit and went on to defeat the Jackson County Lady Blue Devils 49-34 …

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Strong defense powers Viqueens to win

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UNIONVILLE —The Community Viqueens used a strong defensive effort and a 20-point second quarter to erase a first quarter deficit and went on to defeat the Jackson County Lady Blue Devils 49-34 in a Hall of Champions basketball contest Thursday night.
Community (2-0) faced a deliberate Lady Blue Devil offense in the opening quarter and was slow getting out of the gate. 
The Viqueens scored their first points midway through the quarter and used five points from Haley Mitchell to stay close as Jackson County took a 10-9 lead to the second quarter.
Jacey Collier nailed a three-pointer 23 seconds into the quarter as the Viqueens took the lead for good. 
Mitchell kept her hot hand with eight points and Shelby Cawthon added four points off the bench as Community used runs of 6-0 and 7-0 to add to its lead as the Viqueens took a 29-19 advantage into the intermission.
"In the first quarter, I felt like we were playing defense the majority of the time," Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens said.
"We got some steals that helped our offense and sped the game up a little bit," Pierce added.
The Viqueens held the Lady Blue Devils to five points in the third quarter and upped their lead.  
M.J. Simmons scored six points as Community took a 40-24 lead to the final quarter.
Community kept the momentum going and took its biggest lead at 47-25 with 4:43 left in the quarter. 
Reserves played down the stretch as the Viqueens kept their record perfect after two games.
Mitchell scored 15 points and Simmons netted 14 to lead the Viqueens. 
The Viqueens were an impressive 12-of-13 at the free throw line.
Pierce was please with the defensive effort of his team.
"Our goal every night is to hold everybody we play under 40," Pierce said.
After reaching the regional semifinals and losing just one senior from last season's squad, Pierce feels his team has transitioned well into this season.
"We've worked hard to improve and I feel like we never left with this group," Pierce said. "The majority of them are coming back."
"I feel like we've never missed a beat and we're back at it," Pierce added.  
After completing its two Hall of Champions games, Community will travel to Fairview for a 6 p.m. game Monday night.                                                                  

        

Jackson Co.   10  9  5 10 — 34
Community     9 20 11   9 — 49

 

Jackson Co.: Riley Thomas 9, Jacklyn Agee 8, Emma Stepp 5, Erin Davidson 4, Rylee Anderson, Isabelle Beaty 5, Alanna McQuiston 3, Hannah Hawkins, Alivia Johnson.
Community: Haley Mitchell 15, M. J. Simmons 14, Zoey Dixon 9, Breanna Whitaker 2, Addison Brothers, Shelby Cawthon 4, Jacey Collier 3, Izzy Martinez 2, Chloe West, Lexi Berman, Addison Cothran. 
3-Point goals: Jackson Co. (5): Thomas 2, Beaty, Davidson, McQuiston; Community (5): Mitchell 3, Dixon, Collier. 
Halftime score: Community 29, Jackson Co. 19.