Jones keys Lady ’Cats comeback

Published 4:07 am Tuesday, December 29, 2009

FRANKLIN FURNACE — With one half of the Green Lady Bobcats’ dynamic duo sidelined in foul trouble, the other half went to work.

Foul trouble put Adrianne Blankenship on the bench for more than eight minutes of the second half, but Lauren Jones came up big as Green rallied to beat the Fairland Lady Dragons 50-47 Monday.

Jones scored 24 points to lead the Lady Bobcats. Blankenship still finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals. Carlee Pollard had 15 rebounds.

Email newsletter signup

“We had to sit Blankenship and Jones really stepped up for us,” said Green coach Bucky Bridges.

Kayla Swiger had 22 points to pace the Lady Dragons (0-8).

Fairland took a 17-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Jones got 8 points in the second quarter as Green took a 28-26 lead at the half.

Green (4-3) was plagued in the first half by 17 turnovers.

“We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half. We just rushed ourselves. We picked up our defensive intensity in the fourth quarter. We could’ve quit and we didn’t,” said Bridges.

Fairland rallied in the third quarter to take a 38-34 lead, but Blankenship came back midway through the fourth quarter and scored 8 points including 4 at the foul line to take the win.

Green hosts Chesapeake on Monday.

Fairland 17 9 12 9 = 47

Green 13 15 6 16 = 50

FAIRLAND (0-8): Kayla Swiger 5 3 3-6 22, Jamie Phillips 1 0 1-1 3, Megan Brooks 2 0 3-7 7, Kennon Clarkson 2 1 1-1 8, Samantha Lamb 2 0 3-5 7. Totals: 12 4 11-19 47. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.

GREEN (4-3): Bridget Timberman 0 0 1-4 1, Hannah Collett 1 0 0-0 2, Dinah McCloud 0 0 0-0 0, Brianna Johnson 3 0 0-0 6, Lauren Jones 7 0 10-10 24, Taylor Lemaster 0 0 0-0 0, Carlee Pollard 1 0 1-2 3, Adrianne Blankenship 1 2 6-9 14. Totals: 13 2 18-25 50. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Timberman. Rebounds: Pollard 15, Blankenship 10. Assists: 15 (Blankenship 5, Jones 4). Steals: 13 (Blankenship 5, Timberman 4). Turnovers: 27.