The Russellville High School varsity girls’ basketball team (4-7) eked by Belgreen (13-3) at the Russellville Middle School gym on Friday night, defeating the visitors 66-63.
The young Russellville team led by seven points at the halftime break, but the experienced Lady Bulldogs battled back to tie it up in the third to set up a thrilling fourth quarter fight between the two Franklin County teams.
“I’m extremely proud of (the team),” Russellville head coach Jermaine Groce said.
“Belgreen’s a great team. Probably gonna make the elite eight (in Class 2A). So, you know, it’s good to come out and compete and just be scrappy,” Groce added. “We came out and we battled them. That’s a tough team and we were able to do it tonight.”
Down 33-26 at the halftime intermission, Belgreen came out of the locker room for the second half shooting, outscoring Russellville 21-14 to tie the game at 47-47 at the end of the third period. Belgreen went ahead 30 seconds into the fourth quarter but the Lady Golden Tigers didn’t back down and kept the visitors close.
With 3:32 left to go and down by a point, a technical foul by Belgreen sent Sadie Odom to the line for Russellville. The freshman sank both free throws allowing RHS to retake the lead 56-55. The Lady Golden Tigers, playing tough defense and grabbing vital rebounds, were able to retain the advantage for the remainder, scratching by with the three-point victory at the final buzzer.
The result snapped a nine-game winning streak for a Belgreen team coming off back-to-back 20-point-plus wins, and it ended a three-game losing skid for Russellville.
“Our last four games have come down to the last minute and we’ve lost all of them with the exception of tonight,” Groce said. “We talked a lot about how to compete and how to finish in the closing minutes. The girls did a heck of a job defending there late. Did a heck of a job on the board, and we hit just enough free throws to close out the game.”
Belgreen was led by senior Dacota Green, who scored 20 points in the loss. Groce praised his young squad for their efforts to keep the standout Lady Bulldog in check in addition to individual efforts that helped push the Lady Golden Tigers—competing without one of their best players—over the line and avenge the loss to Belgreen earlier in the season.
“We looked out there and said it’s a bunch of ninth- and tenth-graders out there and all of them were able to do it right there in the closing minutes. Angeleah (Smith) hit great shots. Sadie (Odom) came off and attacked the rim tonight—she probably had double-digits tonight,” Groce said. “Alexia (Groce) and Jemma (Moore) did a heck of a job defending Dacota. The first game she played against us I know she had 25 (points). I don’t know what she had tonight, but I like to think we probably held her below what she’s normally scoring and that’s a testament to (Groce and Moore).
“Ella Copeland came in and was able to help us out tonight. She didn’t play in game one against them, so her ability to handle the ball and hit key shots and get our team set up, it just helped us facilitate our offense.
“Tonight our starting center (Laila Hill) was out,” Groce added. “You know, to come in and finish this game without her—a kid that has probably, the last five games, averaged a double-double. To be able to do that going into the Christmas break is big. It’s exactly what we’re looking for about midway through the season, and hopefully we can do the same thing in the Christmas tournaments we’re gonna be playing in next week.”
Angeleah Smith led Russellville with 14 points in the game; Sadie Odom and Jemma Moore scored 13 points and sophomore Ella Copeland added 12 points. Belgreen’s Bryn Scott and Lilliana Willingham each scored 13 points.
After Christmas Russellville will play in a tournament at West Morgan and Belgreen will play in a tournament at Haleyville.
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