Watauga downs Avery for second straight game

By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

Watauga’s girls basketball team won its second straight game Thursday, beating rival Avery 53-48 at Lentz-Eggers Gym.

Ashlyn Baird, behind the strength of three 3-point baskets, led the Pioneers in scoring with 16 points. Chandler butler and Nicole Tesh each had eight points, while three Pioneers — Ryann Jones, Emily Pineda and Katherine Mayhew — chipped in six each.

Hayley Paytle paced Avery with 10 points, while Katie Peters and Laura Lacey each had eight.

Avery led 48-46 with 2:04 left in the game, but would not score another point. Tesh tied the game with an inside basket and Butler gave the Pioneers a 49-48 lead by hitting a free throw with 31.8 seconds left.

The Pioneers forced two turnovers and converted free throws on the other end when Avery fouled to stop the clock. Tesh hit a foul shot and Emily Pineda hit two others with 9.3 seconds to go. Baird scored her final point of the game with 1.3 seconds to ice the game.

It is the second time the Pioneers (4-2) have won two straight games. They beat West Caldwell Wednesday night after falling to Ashe County Tuesday.

Watauga found themselves trailing Avery 11-8 at the end of the first quarter, but opened the second quarter with a 12-2 run, capped by one of Baird’s 3-pointers. The trey gave the Pioneers a 20-13 lead that Avery would cut to 20-17, but Watauga would increase to 30-19 with a 10-2 burst.

Avery scored the final five points of the first half to cut Watauga’s lead to 30-24 at halftime.

Watauga struggled to score at the start of the third quarter and Avery made the Pioneers pay. Watauga turned the ball over 10 times during a 12-2 Vikings run, which gave them a 36-32 lead.

Watauga eventually started to take care of the ball better and ended the third with a 41-40 lead, capped by a Butler steal and basket with four seconds left in the period.

Watauga 53, Avery 48
Avery
Singleton 0 2-2 2, Jennings 2 1-2 6, Peters 4 0-2 8, Shook 0 0-1 0, Buchanan 1 0-0 2, Ellis 1 0-0 2, Vance 0 4-6 4, Lacey 3 2-2 8, Gragg 1 4-4 6, Paytle 4 2-2 10. Totals 16 15-21 48.
Watauga
Butler 3 2-5 8, Baird 6 1-2 16, R. Pineda 1 3-6 5, Tesh 3 2-3 8, Jones 3 0-0 6, E. Pineda 2 2-3 6, Mayhew 2 2-3 6, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rees 0 0-0 0, Creed 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 12-21 53.
Avery 11 13 16 8 — 48
Watauga 8 22 11 12 — 53
3-point goals—Avery 1 (Jennings), Watauga 3 (Baird 3). Rebounds—Avery 25 (Paytle 5), Watauga 26 (R. Pineda 7). Turnovers—Avery 22, Watauga 25. Total fouls—Avery 19, Watauga 18. Fouled out—Peters. Technical fouls—None.