By Rob Ketcham
The Cullman Times
WEST POINT —
Nina Mills had 24 points, including eight late free throws, and Good Hope held off a strong fourth-quarter push by West Point to squeak by with a 65-56 win Friday night over its in-county opponent.
The Raiders led from start to finish, but the Warriors certainly didn’t make it easy on the visiting team.
West Point found themselves down by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter before Erica Laidley and Rachel Persall combined to bring the Warriors within a single point.
Laidley hit a free throw and a 2-point shot before Persall took over. From there, West Point’s top scorer — she had 24 points on the night — nailed a shot from the charity stripe and swished a 3-pointer from straightaway. On the ensuing play, she stole the ball and made a layup, bringing the score to 57-56.
That turned out to be as close as the Warriors would get, however, as Mills was fouled four times in the final minute and a half and made all eight of her free-throw attempts.
Good Hope began the game with five different players — Mills, Kayla Tillman, Kayla Elrod, Cierra Jenkins and Sierra Kinser — accounting for the team’s first five scores.
Three of those players, including Mills, ended the night with double-figure point totals. The other two were Elrod, who netted 18, and Tillman, who was good for 11.
Jenkins scored eight points, and Kinser finished with four.
West Point came out hot in the fourth quarter behind a non-traditional 3-point play by Kari Williams, who made three free throws after being fouled while shooting from behind the arc. She came up with 16 points on the night.
The Warriors other contributors included Laidley, five, Courtney Walker, Chelcee Kelley and Madison Rusk, three, and Mallory Walker, two.
Rob Ketcham can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 257 or at robk@cullmantimes.com.
