The inaugural Chattanooga Christian School Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament kicked off Tuesday night with the Lady Bucs of Boyd Buchanan taking on the East Ridge Lady Pioneers.

Trailing most of the game, the Lady Bucs went on top for the first and final time with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter on a lay-up by India Eppinger. Eppinger finished with a team high 13 points, nine coming in the second half while playing the majority of the game with 4 fouls.

The Lady Pioneers (0-3) grabbed a quick lead at 6-2 when Paige Atterton drove the length of the floor for a lay-up at 5:53 left in the first half. Relying on fast break opportunities and hiding a shooter under their offensive basket East Ridge took advantage of a cold shooting Boyd Buc five.

Going into the second period the Lady Pioneers held a 14-8 lead. With 4:43 left in the period Lady Buc Jessica Kirk picked the pocket of a Lady Pioneer and drove for a lay-up to pull Boyd to within four. Lady Bucs Dalis Connell and Taylor Neal began to continually drive the lane drawing multiple fouls to bring their team to within three before finally ending the half at a 25-21 deficit.

With 4:15 left in the third period Justus Halfacre hit the first trey in the game for either squad and put the Lady Pioneers up by seven at 34-27. Just over two minutes later junior Miosha Hughes answered with a three for the Lady Bucs to pull within one at 36-35. Mishael McCalley took over for the Lady Pioneers at this point with two key buckets to put East Ridge up 40-37 at the end of the period.

The final quarter started out with East Ridge’s Deophia Thompson fouling Connell on a lay-up, the basket counted and Connell sank the free throw bringing the Lady Bucs to within two, 42-40. Connell next hit a long two from the left corner to pull within one at 44-43. Thirty seconds later Eppinger sank a lay-up to give the lead to Boyd Buchanan and they never looked back.

Mishael McCalley led all scorers with 18 points, followed by Lady Pioneer teammates Justus Halfacre with 15 and Paige Atterton with 10.

Play continues with the East Ridge boys facing off with Boyd Buchanan in the second game of Tuesday night. East Ridge was ahead at the half by a score of 22-18. On Friday the Chattanooga Christian boys and girls play Boyd Buchanan while East Ridge takes on Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. Saturday afternoon it will be Hamilton Heights versus Boyd Buchanan and CCS takes on East Ridge.

Score at half: Boyd Buchanan – 21; East Ridge – 25

By Quarter:
Boyd Buchanan 8-13-16-24 61
East Ridge 14-11-15-10 50

(Email Dennis Norwood @ ladyvols56@att.net)

Miosha Hughes of Boyd Buchanan guards Paige Atterton of East Ridge. Click to enlarge.
- Photo2 by Michael Locke