If the third quarter of Friday’s game with Landrum is any indication, the pieces are beginning to fall into place for Polk County’s young girls basketball team.
The Wolverines scored the first 34 points (yes, 34) of the second half, including a 32-0 third period, en route to a 76-28 rout of Landrum in non-conference action at Polk County.
Sarah Phipps scored 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds and Hayley Kropp scored 19 points as the Wolverines improved to 3-1. Ashley Love added 14 points and Lyric Flood had 10 as Polk County, including the 71-28 thumping of Chase on Wednesday, has outscored its last two opponents 147-56.
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“Finally, finally, finally our shots started falling,” said Polk head coach Craig Culbreth. “When we started hitting shots, you could see it in their faces. They started to get a feeling like that’s what supposed to happen.”
And happen it did in the third period.
Polk County led 12-2 early in the second quarter before Landrum fought back to make it a 23-21 game at the half. Phipps then hit four straight free throws in the first minute of the third period before Kropp and Love hit back-to-back 3-pointers for a 33-21 lead. Flood scored three points and Phipps two more to push the margin to 38-21 with 5:50 still left in the quarter.
Kropp, who finished with eight steals, then turned steals on consecutive Landrum possessions into baskets. She would do that several more times before quarter’s end, finishing with 16 points in a quarter that ended with Polk County holding a 55-21 lead.
The Wolverines added two more points in the fourth quarter before Landrum finally scored on a free throw at the 6:06 mark. The outcome was long decided by that point, and Polk finished with a 53-7 edge in the second half.
Taylor Jenkins led Landrum (1-1) with seven points.
Polk County Scoring
Sarah Phipps 21, Hayley Kropp 19, Ashley Love 14, Lyric Flood 10, India Godlock 6, Ashley Kropp 4, Savannah Ross 2
