Red Bank Girls Stay Unbeaten With 53-51 Win Over Soddy Daisy

Series Now At 2-1 Involving Lyness Sibling Coaching Rivalry

  • Tuesday, November 24, 2015
  • John Hunt
 Red Bank coach Bailey McGinnis reacts to a play.
Red Bank coach Bailey McGinnis reacts to a play.
photo by M.A. Locke

The Red Bank Lionettes pulled out a 53-51 victory over the Soddy Daisy Lady Trojans on Tuesday night at Red Bank's Susan Ingram Thurman Gymnasium, but the win was more signicant for Red Bank coach Bailey McGinnis than probably any she'll celebrate the rest of the season.

You see, her older brother Drew Lyness is the Soddy Daisy coach and he had bragging rights after winning both times against Red Bank last year, but the Lionettes had the upper hand in this latest skirmish between non-district rivals.

Oh, it wasn't the prettiest game you've ever seen as there were a lot of unforced errors on both sides and way too many fouls, but you won't find another any more competitive as there were nine lead changes and eight ties along the way.  It's a miracle it didn't go into overtime.

"I just wish that we both could have won, but I've never been so proud of my team.  We wouldn't have pulled that game out last year," said McGinnis after her team had improved to 3-0 on the young season.

"We got out-rebounded by a bunch and that's an effort thing, but a win is a win and I'm thankful that we pulled it out.  It was nip and tuck the whole way and I thought it might come down to who had the ball last.  And we didn't shoot free throws very well, but we made them when it counted.

"I knew exactly what they were going to do at the end and it was either in or out.  Thank goodness it fell our way.  It was back and forth the entire game and I love my brother more than he will ever know, but this feels so good," she concluded with a big smile.

Breaking away from a 5-5 in the first quarter, Red Bank scored seven unanswered points for a 12-5 lead following a layup by Macy Bryant with 2:01 remaining, but the Lady Trojans came back and got to within one at 13-12 when the period ended as Morgan Hopkins and Sarah Woodward scored back-to-back buckets in the final 20 seconds.

Five straight points by Hopkins in the first minute of the second stanza gave the Lady Trojans the upper hand at 17-13, but a 3 from Ashley Brown and a power move inside at the buzzer by Mya Kennebrew allowed the Lionettes to take a 26-21 lead into the dressing room at intermission.

Consecutive buckets by Red Bank's Kiki Evers and Dani Usher evened the score at 37 with 30 seconds left in the third, but a free throw by Bryant 12 seconds later allowed Soddy Daisy to lead by a point with eight minutes remaining.

A drive by Evers, two free throws by Jasmine Simpson and a layup by Usher allowed Red Bank to get the upper hand at 43-38 in the first minute of the final quarter, but the Lady Trojans got a free throw from Summer Ghaffari and back-to-back buckets from Hopkins for a 46-44 lead with 3:20 remaining.

A putback by Simpson allowed Red Bank to take a 48-46 lead with 2:02 remaining and it became a free-throw shooting contest the rest of the way.

Soddy Daisy sank half of its 10 attempts with Alexis Trimiar hitting two in the final minute for a 51-49 lead with 17.1 seconds left.  Evers scored on a layup with 14.9 seconds left and made the free throw to boot for a 52-51 Red Bank lead.

Lyness called a timeout with 10.2 seconds left to set up the final play as it was his team's ball with plenty of time to score.

Hopkins got the inbounds pass and drove down the lane, but her shot from short range rolled off the rim into the hands of Red Bank's Simpson, who was fouled immediately.

She made the first free throw for a two-point lead, but a half-court shot by Hopkins bounced off the glass as the horn sounded to end the game.

"We just didn't finish as we had too many missed opportunities," said Lyness afterward.

"We battled with them, but we didn't finish strong on the glass and didn't take advantage of what they gave us.  We had plenty of chances to win, but it just didn't happen.

"Morgan wanted the ball in her hands and that's what we wanted  as well.  We have a lot of confidence in her and she had a great look, but it just didn't fall," he added.

Simpson finished with 15 points to lead Red Bank while Evers added 14 before fouling out.  Usher was next with eight points.

Hopkins scored 21 points for the Lady Trojans while Trimiar was also in double figures with 13 to go along with nine steals.

Soddy Daisy won the rebound battle by an unofficial 44-26 count.  Trimiar had 21 while Hopkins grabbed 10.  Simpson was tops for Red Bank with 15 rebounds.

SODDY DAISY  12  9  17  13  --  51

RED BANK  13  13  11  16  --  53

SODDY DAISY (51) -- Dent, Hopkins 21, Ghaffari 8, Trimiar 13, Bryant 3, Rader, Phillips, Woodward 6, Williams.

RED BANK (53) -- Brown 3, Romans 7, Evers 14, Usher 8, Kennebrew 6, Simpson 15, Stewart.

3-POINT GOALS: Soddy Daisy 2 (Hopkins, Woodward); Red Bank 1 (Brown).

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

Soddy-Daisy coach Drew Lyness gives instructions.
Soddy-Daisy coach Drew Lyness gives instructions.
photo by M.A. Locke
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