Cabell Midland’s players started to deliver on the pleas from coach Randy Templeton in the second half and pulled away to defeat Hurricane, 54-33, in girls high school basketball Wednesday night at The Castle.
“We started playing team ball,” Templeton said. “Move the ball, share the ball. Tonight the girls started to complement each other, pick each other up.”
Jazmyn Wheeler and Jayda Allie delivered virtually every way possible for the Knights (12-4). Wheeler scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for a double-double. Allie one-upped her teammate with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for a triple-double.
“One of her best games of the year,” Templeton said of Wheeler.
Wheeler said of her teammate Allie: “She’s a fabulous player. She can fill out the stat lines.”
Cabell Midland scored the first 10 points for a 10-0 lead with 3:44 left in the first quarter. The Redskins (7-9) cut the lead to 16-12 with 2:51 left in the second period following two free throws by Mady Jo Lunsford. Josie Graves then hit a basket, Jordan Taylor two free throws, Wheeler a basket and Allie one of two free throws to push the lead to 23-12.
Wheeler got eight straight points in the third when Cabell Midland started to stretch the lead. Taylor Parsons hit two of her three triples in the fourth, when the home side put the game on ice.
“A little tired,” Templeton said of the Knights, who played four times last week and went 2-2. “The last two practices were great. At the half, told them we’ve got to shoot the ball. They came through.”
Wheeler said it was a matter of the Knights picking up the pace.
“We all played as a team,” she said. “At the half, we realized we were playing at their pace. The second half, we were able to get out and go and share the ball. Drive and kick.”
Cabell Midland’s next game is Friday at Spring Valley, where the winner is likely to secure top seed for next month’s sectional tournament. Hurricane is home Friday against Huntington. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Alex Anderson led Hurricane with eight points as the visitors had no one in double figures. However, the Redskins converted 13 of 14 free throws.
