Rockdale Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

COVINGTON -- The Alcovy girls basketball team was a rude host this weekend.

Kate Palo and Ashley Williams scored 12 points each and Meagan Tucker added 11 to lead the Tigers to a 64-29 win over Lithia Springs in the Alcovy Thanksgiving Tournament on Saturday.

On Friday, the Tigers opened the tournament with a 74-22 victory over Jackson, and with the success in the inaugural holiday tournament improved to 3-1 on the young season.

The Tigers started slow against Lithia Springs and trailed 5-4 with 5:08 to go in the first quarter, but things turned quickly for Alcovy.

Starting with two free throws by Williams, the Tigers finished the quarter on a 12-2 run to open up a 16-7 cushion. The Alcovy defense stepped up in the second quarter, forcing 11 turnovers, which helped push the lead to 34-18 at halftime after Tucker hit a pair of free throws.

"We struggled a little bit offensively early on, we got out of our routine. That's something that we've talked about," said Tigers coach Kidada Holtzclaw. "(But) we talk about team defense, team offense. We talk about team every day."

Lithia Springs hit just two field goals in the third quarter, while Alcovy stretched its lead. Palo fed Tucker for a 3-pointer and the two switched roles on Palo's 3-pointer on the following possession to make it a 44-22 game. Later, Lisa Kossally had a steal and a layup, and the Tigers led 54-23 after three quarters on field goals by Palo and her sister, Kaci (nine points).

In the fourth, Gabby Sherwood, who scored seven of her nine points in the second half, knocked down a 3 off a pass from Tucker, then Williams found Sherwood for a bucket that pushed the lead to 59-25.

Holtzclaw was proud of her team's effort during the two-day tournament

"We started pressing a little bit more (in the second half)," Holtzclaw said. "We want to give our opponents different looks."

Selena Crummie and Alexa Walker had eight points each to lead the visiting Lions.