Lady Junior Cyclones slip by Ross Robinson, improve record to 5-0

from staff reports

   KINGSPORT -- The T.A. Dugger girls basketball team had a good fight on its hands, but the Lady Junior Cyclones would not be denied.
   Overcoming a nine-point, second-half deficit, the undefeated Cyclones registered a 32-31 conference victory over Ross Robinson on Wednesday evening.
   TAD (5-0) held a 17-13 halftime advantage before the Lady Redskins stormed back in the third quarter, outscoring the Orange & Black 16-7.
   With head coach Angie Barker and assistant coach Kip Anderson keeping them focused, the Cyclones then hunkered down defensively and allowed a mere two points in the fourth quarter while reclaiming the upper hand on the scoreboard.
   Marti Bush, with eight points, seven rebounds and four steals; and Victoria Hopson, with six points, seven rebounds and three steals, showed the way for T.A. Dugger.
   The Cyclones also got six points -- on two 3-pointers -- from Bri Gouge, six rebounds from Michaela Pietrowski and four rebounds and four steals from Mikael Oliver.
   7th-grade game
   T.A. Dugger 40
   Ross Robinson 7
   Outscoring the Redskins 20-1 in the first half, T.A. Dugger had absolutely no trouble pushing its record to a perfect 5-0.
   Leslie Guinn, with 12 points and a pair of 3-pointers, led the way offensively for the Cyclones, and Kelly Culler added a solid eight-point, four-steal performance.
   Leah Henson contributed eight steals and two points, Hannah Fritz scored six and Ashlyn Hunt grabbed five rebounds to aid the T.A. Dugger cause.
   Next on the schedule for TAD is a home date with Unicoi County on Monday. The seventh-graders begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the eighth-grade contest at 6:30.
   A home makeup game with Church Hill is set for the following day.