Cavs pull away

from WHS
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

ICARD — Watauga’s girls’ basketball team can at times be exciting to watch, and at other times, frustrating.

The Pioneers fell 76-55 to East Burke Tuesday night, but could have stayed closer had they not stopped scoring during key times of the game. Watauga put itself in a catch-up situation the entire game and actually did stay in striking distance.

However, East Burke always seemed to pull away far enough to never be in any serious trouble of losing the game. The Cavaliers had four players score in double figures and 11 of 13 players who reached the court scored at least two points.

The Pioneers had two players, Pinedas actually, score in double figures. Rebekah Pineda led the team with 15 points, while her twin sister, Emily, added 14 points, hitting 12-of-14 from the foul line.

However, East Burke’s balance and depth was too much for Watauga to overcome. Elizabeth Ross, the Cavaliers’ point guard, led them in scoring with 15 points. Three others, Natalie Baker, Keonna Lewis and Brittany Yancy, each scored 12 points.

Watauga trailed from the start, falling behind 11-3 before catching up to trail 11-8. The Cavaliers opened the second quarter with a 12-3 run and took a 23-11 lead that Watauga could never overcome.

It didn’t mean that the Pioneers didn’t try. With help of several fouls called in the first half, Watauga sank 7-of-8 foul shots at the end of the first half to go on a 7-2 run and close East Burke’s halftime lead to 32-23.

The Pioneers followed by scoring the first six points of the second half to 32-29, but that would be as close as they would get. East Burke responded with a three-point play from Olivia Childers, which sparked a 12-0 run and a 44-29 lead.

East Burke girls 76, Watauga 53
Watauga
Butler 1 1-3 4, Caldwell 0 0-0 0, Baird 2 0-0 5, R. Pineda 6 3-10 15, Creed 2 0-0 5, Tesh 3 0-2 6, Jones 1 1-2 3, E. Pineda 1 12-16 14, Mayhew 1 1-2 3, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rees 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 18-35 55.
East Burke
E. Ross 4 5-6 15, Baker 3 6-7 12, Childers 1 1-1 2, Lewis 4 4-6 12, Moore 3 2-2 8, Yancy 5 0-0 12, Connelly 0 2-3 2, Moore 1 0-0 2, M. Ross 3 1-1 8, Grady 1 0-0 2. Hoyle 0 0-0 0, Meroney 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 21-26 76.
Watauga 8 15 13 19 — 55
East Burke 11 21 20 24 — 76
3-point goals—Watauga 3 (Butler, Baird, Creed), East Burke 5 (R. Ross 2, Yancy 2, M. Ross). Turnovers—Watauga 29, East Burke 19. Total fouls—Watauga 22, East Burke 24. Fouled out—None. Technical fouls—None.