PINEVILLE — The North Laurel Lady Jaguars thought they were paying a visit to the Lions’ Den Tuesday, instead they found themselves in a hornets’ nest. Pineville’s Lady Mountain Lions swarmed North with defensive pressure from the get go, forced a bunch of turnovers and came away with a 57-36 win.
“Defense is what we pride ourselves on and they did a really good job, especially when we played in man,” Lady Lion coach Matt Shafer said. “It’s good for us, any win is a good win. Playing a big school like that, that can draw from so many kids is something for our girls to be proud of.
“They bounced back from that loss at Barbourville and as long as we keep improving we’re going to be all right.”
Senior guard Annalee Adams led the Pineville charge with a game-high 20 points, many coming in transition after steals. Devin Enix added 13 points and Erica Gambrell seven to go along with a full stat line.
North Laurel was led by Kendall Ellington’s 11 points while Hannah Gray and Brooke Carpenter scored six each.
Emily Mullins and Adams scored four points apiece in the first quarter, Enix hit a 3 and Gambrell also scored three points as the Lady Lions built a 14-7 lead.
Carpenter and Ashley Raines hit 3-pointers for the Lady Jags in the opening period while Ashley Wyatt added a free throw. North three from Ellington along with baskets from Wyatt and Hannah Lawson in the second quarter, but Pineville continued to pull away.
Adams poured in 11 of her 20 points in the second quarter and by halftime the Lady Lions were up 27-14.
“Annalee Adams came out strong and then put us on her shoulders in the second quarter,” Shafer said.
Pineville put the game out of reach by scoring the first ten points of the third quarter. Adams had a pair of layups, Stacey Washington hit a pair of free throws, Enix scored after grabbing an offensive rebound and Tiffany Sutton converted a steal into a layup to make it 37-14 by midway through the third.
North mounted a bit of a comeback as Gray hit two 3s, Carpenter one and Wyatt added a basket as they cut the lead back to 42-27 after three quarters.
Gambrell scored on a pair of layups early in the fourth quarter and Enix hit a 3-pointer as the Lady Lions went on to win by 21.
“Erica Gambrell finished with seven points, six rebounds, five assists and seven steals. She’s just constant energy and she’s sick, too. So I’m just really proud of the way she played,” Shafer added. “I’m also proud of Emily Mullins and Rachel Barnes. They’ve been struggling with their confidence and they gave me some real good minutes in this game.”
Up next for Pineville (4-3) is the Bowman Memorial Classic at Lynn Camp where they’ll play Jellico, Tenn., Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
North Laurel (1-7) hosts Waggener Saturday.
— — —
North Laurel….7….7…13….9 — 36
Pineville……..14…14…15…15 — 57
NORTH LAUREL (36): Kendall Ellington 11, Hannah Gray 6, Brooke Carpenter 6, Ashley Wyatt 5, Ashley Raines 3, Hannah Lawson 2, Makayla Sexton 2, Kelsey Chesnut 1, Brittany Smith 0, Ashton Bridges 0.
PINEVILLE (57): Annalee Adams 20, Devin Enix 13, Erica Gambrell 7, Stacey Washington 6, Emily Mullins 6, Rachel Barnes 2, Tiffany Sutton 2, Autumn Short 1, Jillian Enix 0, Makayla Keyes 0, Morgan Cornelius 0.
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