CONLIN SCORES 40

Williamsburg’s Carissa Conlin goes up for a rebound basket, two of her game high 40 points.

Junior guard Carissa Conlin took charge in Monday’s 63-55 win over rival Jellico. Conlin scored a career high 40 points as the Lady Jackets came from behind in the fourth quarter to post the first win of the season.

Williamsburg started the final period down 46-39 and trailed the Blue Devils 50-43 when Coach Andrea Ellis called a timeout. “I just told them it was time we played some defense,” Ellis said.

Williamsburg did play some hard-nosed defense in the final five minutes and Conlin led the Lady Jackets on a 20-5 run to close out the game. “That was the one thing I preached at half time, we have to play some defense.”

“Defense wins championship and defense wins games,” Ellis said. The streak began with defense when Conlin intercepted a Jellico pass and hit a wide-open Kacie Brown for a lay-up. Conlin and Annie Keith followed with baskets as the Lady Jackets pulled within one, 50-49.

Destany Creekmore had a chance to push her team back on top by three when she went to the line for a one-and-one with 4:14 left in the game, but she missed and Conlin put the Lady Jackets ahead for good on a rebound after a Brown miss from the top of the key with 3:47 left in the game.

The Lady Jackets would score eight more points and finish the streak with a 16-0 run before Jellico’s Rachel Ayers hit a close range jumper. Ayers led the Devils with 22 points.

Conlin scored the last six points of the rally after stealing the ball and going in for a lay-up. She was fouled on the play and put Williamsburg ahead, 56-50. Conlin followed that with another steal at midcourt and went in for yet another lay-up. Again, she was fouled and hit the free throw for a nine-point margin.

Back-to-back baskets by Ayers closed the gap to five (59-54) when Ellis called a time out with 1:12 left. “I told them they needed to play with heart and show me they want to win the ballgame,” Ellis said.

Audrey Ash helped the situation when she connected on one-of-two from the line with :43 left. However, Ash fouled out on the ensuing trip down the floor by Jellico, sending Ayers to the line. She missed the first, but hit the second.

Williamsburg scored the final three points to get the eight-point win.

“If we had played defense the whole game like we did in the fourth quarter, it might not have been as stressful,” Ellis said.

“Early in the game we were not finishing our shots and seeing the open people,” Ellis said. “When we picked our defense up we finally starting playing offense. That’s how we are going to have to play all the time. You have to turn your defense into offense.”

Despite breaking her foot earlier in the week, Ellis was on the side for the game.

Of Conlin’s career best, the junior hit 14 field goals including two from beyond the arc. She was 10-of-12 from the free throw line.

Besides Ayers 22 points, two other Lady Devils finished in double figures. Creekmore and Natasha Taylor added 12 points.

Harlan Co. 63, Williamsburg 41: The Lady Bears went on a 20-0 run in the first half to pull away from the Lady Jackets. Williamsburg held their own in the first quarter and trailed 11-8 at the end of the first eight minutes.

A fullcourt press took its toll on the Lady Jackets in the second period as Williamsburg turned the ball over 11 times and scored only six points. Williamsburg trailed at the half, 36-14.

The Lady Jackets refused to quit and stayed even with the Lady Bears in the second half. Williamsburg outscored Harlan County by one (9-8) in the third quarter, but the Lady Bears outscored the Lady Jackets 19-18 in the fourth quarter as the teams were even with 27 points each in the second half.

Junior Carissa Conlin led the Lady Jackets with 13 points while freshman Kacie Brown added nine points. Harlan County was led in scoring by Miranda Davensport with 18 points. Kalee Carroll added 11 points for the Lady Bears.

The Lady Jackets were scheduled to play Monticello Friday, but the game was postponed to a later date by the Lady Trojans.

Williamsburg (1-1) will be back in action Friday night when they host the Lynn Camp Lady ‘Cats.

Williamsburg 63, Jellico 55

Jellico                        12   21   13     9- 55

Williamsburg            13   16   10   24- 63

   Jellico (55) – Creekmore 12, Taylor 12, Ayers 22, Charles 6, Kennedy 3, Daniels 0

   Williamsburg (63) – Brown 5, M. Lawson 4, Ash 5, Conlin 40, K. Lawson 3, Berry 2, Keith 4.

Harlan Co. 63, Williamsburg 41

Harlan Co.            11   25   8   19- 63

Williamsburg              8     6   9   18- 41

   Harlan Co. (63) – Davenport 18, Massingill 6, Stittums 2, Carroll 11, Evans 8, Cornett 1, Lee 6, Mines 2, Shackleford 2, Noe 5, Stewart 2.

   Williamsburg (41) – Conlin 13, Brown 9, Lawson 3, Haar 4, Ash 2, Lawson 8, Berry 0, Jackson 2.