LAURINBURG — The Lady Scots got off to a shaky start in their season opener against Gray’s Creek on Tuesday.

Second-year head coach Mallorie Snow wasn’t a fan of the roller coaster ride her girls took her on en route to a 53-30 loss.

“They had spurts, but consistency is key. I know we’re small and I told them they were going to be tired — but this roller coaster is not going to work,” Snow said. “I need people that want to score, that’s how you win games. I have one person that really wanted to score and one person that really wanted to get the rebounds and we have to make a collective effort to help each other.”

The Lady Scots started the game with a 4-2 lead courtesy of baskets by Tykeria McNair and Asjah Swindell — after that Gray’s Creek went on a 7-0 run to take an 11-4 lead into the second quarter.

It was a run the Lady Bears carried into the ensuing quarter, as the Lady Scots couldn’t buy a basket. Gray’s Creek’s 10-point run was snapped by another McNair basket.

By the half, the Lady Scots not only found themselves down four players due to either illness or injury but trailing Gray’s Creek by 23 points.

The Lady Scots improved in the second half, matching the Lady Bears point for point in the third quarter. But the Lady Scots nine third-quarter points weren’t enough to pull them out of the hole they had dug in the first half.

Down 41-18 heading into the final quarter, the Lady Scots again match Gray’s Creek point for point, as each team put up 12.

It wasn’t the first-game performance Snow was hoping for from her small squad, but she didn’t go too hard on them.

“Their first home game is always going to bring a lot of nervousness and jitters. I tried not to go down their throats, because we have an even tougher opponent on Wednesday in Westover,” she said. “I think we came out a whole lot better in the second half than we did in the first. I did commend them on that.”

Snow said her players need to learn to go with the flow of the game and not get so set on going to an exact spot on the floor to run a play.

“I think they get so set on running a play that they became robotic. Basketball is like dancing, you have to be free flowing, you can’t be stiff. I think we got into that methodical system at times,” she said.

The Lady Scots had a quick turn around hosting Westover on Wednesday at home. The team is off until after the Thanksgiving holiday next week.

The Lady Scots will be back in action in South Carolina on Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. as they head to Marlboro County to play the Lady Bulldogs.

Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.

Amber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Lady Scots sophomore Asjah Swindell battles for position under the basket against Gray’s Creek on Tuesday in the team’s season opener. The Lady Scots fell to the Lady Bears, 53-30.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_IMG_0333.jpgAmber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Lady Scots sophomore Asjah Swindell battles for position under the basket against Gray’s Creek on Tuesday in the team’s season opener. The Lady Scots fell to the Lady Bears, 53-30.

By Amber Hatten

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Gray’s Creek

11

21

9

12

53

Scotland

4

5

9

12

30