The Notre Dame girls’ season was ended in the first round of the Division II-A state tournament as they fell to MTCS, 62-49. MTCS is one of the most well-rounded high school teams in the state, and Notre Dame found that out Tuesday night as the Lady Cougars traveled to Chattanooga and left with a no-doubter win.
For starters, the Lady Cougars guard Jailyn Banks is a star. Banks is one of the best players in the state and a Miss Basketball candidate as she averages nearly 17ppg and holds eight division one basketball offers. She put her talent and athleticism on full display Tuesday night as she bested her averages and put up 25 points in the most important game of her season.
“She can create one-on-one, she’s very hard to stop, but really it was her hard work on the glass and defense on [Kenzie Campbell] that was impressive. [Campbell] is a senior point guard and did not want to lose this game. Jailyn did a great job on her.” Said MTCS coach Hannah Jones.
Banks was the engine that made MTCS run, but the team around her was what made the Lady Cougars almost impossible to stop. The junior guard could shoot but rarely settled for threes. Instead, she used her quick-twitch athleticism to get into the paint at will. Once there, she either got an easy look at the rim or kicked out to a wide-open teammate, all of which boasted pretty jump shots.
“A lot of what we do surrounds paint touches so that is their focus and then everyone has the green light to shoot it. We don’t care about percentages. We’ve built confidence in our girls so that everyone is ready and, in the mindset, to shoot it.” Said Jones.
The game plan for the Lady Cougars worked to perfection in their 13-point win – a margin of victory that makes the game look closer than it was. They jumped out to a 13-3 lead to start the game behind eight of which came from Banks. After a Notre Dame timeout, the Lady Irish regrouped and were able to end the half on a 6-2 run capped off by a Kenzie Campbell layup to keep them in it, 15-9 after one.
In the second, Notre Dame seemed to be doing all they could to stay in it, but the offensive production from MTCS was too much. Claire Mullins provided much-needed toughness for the Lady Irish, but Ellie Shirley, Reagan Atkinson, and Anna Clay Shirley all knocked down shots from behind the arc in the period for the Lady Cougars to make their lead 29-16 at the half.
After the break, MTCS continued their dominance and pushed the lead to as much as 20, and led by 18 after three, but Campbell and the Lady Irish squad refused to go out easy. The fourth quarter was the first time the home squad showed life all night and the girls did everything they could to get back into the game. Campbell had seven of her 11 in the quarter and put her body on the line multiple times on defense.
The Lady Irish became the aggressors and their defense swarmed and caused turnovers leading to buckets. Following a Campbell three, the Lady Irish forced a turnover and a Maliyah Maples layup cut the lead to 13. Unfortunately for them, Jailyn Banks responded with a drive right to the rim leading to another bucket for MTCS. The Lady Irish continued to battle back and even made five threes in the quarter but for every run they made, MTCS responded with timely buckets.
Eventually, a Banks and-one layup was the dagger as it made it obvious that the Lady Cougars would respond no matter how hot the Notre Dame shooting was. The Lady Irish finished on a run but it wasn’t enough as MTCS advanced to the state quarterfinals with a convincing, 62-49 win.
SUMMARY
MTCS 15 14 12 21 - 62
NOTRE DAME 9 7 6 27 - 49
MTCS (62) – Jailyn Banks 25, Reagan Atkinson 10, Sarah Wisniowski 10, E. Shirley 6, Cooper 5, A. Shirley 5, Davis 1.
NOTRE DAME (49) – Kenzie Campbell 11, Mullins 9, Maples 8, Fillaver 8, Perryman 7, Skaggs 3, Gaines 3.
3-POINT GOALS: MTCS 5 (E. Shirley 2, A. Shirley, Atkinson, Cooper); Notre Dame 6 (Maples 2, Campbell, Fillaver, Skaggs, Mullins).
(Contact Jack Gold at goldj2002@yahoo.com)