Comeback comes up short

Lady Mavs fall to Campbell County


Kylee Alvis jumps over a Lady Cougar to shoot for the Lady Mavs. AC lost 60-52. (photo:Ricky Williams )
The Lady Mavericks came up short against the Lady Cougars on Friday, Dec. 11, finishing 60-52.

Callie Bowling led the team with 15 points, followed by Emily Mustard with 11, and Kylee Alvis with 10. Makenzie Henderson scored six points, with Lydia Meldrum and Jaylynn Bullock each scoring four points.

The Lady Mavs took an early lead in the game, going into the second quarter up 14-10 before the Lady Cougars began to get their footing, taking the lead for good in the third quarter and holding it until the end.

The Lady Mavericks won on offensive rebounds, beating Campbell County 17-15, and finishing with a 3FG percentage of 40-percent with four treys out of 10. Emily Mustard led the team on rebounds with six total (five offensive and six defensive), while Jaylynn Bullock led the team on assists with five.

Nicky Anosike, speaking about the now-canceled game against Oak Ridge, said that every game has been a challenge.

“I think that every game is a battle for us, not physically, but mentally,” she said. “We’re good physically, but it’s the mental barriers that we face. I try to understand it, but I think there’s some mental blocks because the girls have gotten so used to losing. Getting them to really believe that they are capable of winning has been a battle that I wasn’t anticipating having to fight this season.

“I just spoke to them yesterday. I said every team puts their uniform on the same way we put ours on. We shouldn’t go into a game feeling like we aren’t worthy or that someone is more important than us. We have to go into every game knowing that we matter and knowing that we have a shot.”

Anosike said that she thinks the team will continue to improve, though.

“I think that certainly we feel like we’re not playing our best basketball right now, and we have so much work to do to get to a place where we’re playing our best. I don’t think our season is going terribly, though. We’re 3-3 and not even playing our best. I think once everything starts to click, and they start understand what we’re trying to get them to do, then we’re going to be a much more exciting team to watch. Even though I was not here last year, I’m still having to deal with the repercussions. Even though we’re doing better than last year, we’re not doing as well as we can.”



All scheduled Anderson County games have been cancelled until January, meaning there will be no Clinton game this Thursday, and the girls will not play at Norris this weekend.