BREMEN, Ala. — The Cold Springs Lady Eagles tipped off the 2A, Area 11 Tournament at home Monday night and punched their ticket to the area championship game with a 77-30 win over Cleveland. The Lady Eagles have secured a spot in next week’s sub-regional round. Cold Springs led by 13 at the half but outscored Cleveland 41-7 in the second half to pull away.
Malaya Taylor scored the game’s first bucket to give the Lady Eagles an early lead and Ella Dickerson followed with a three to extend the lead to 5-2. Ciara Calvert turned a steal into an easy basket to make it 7-2 and a pair of free throws from Maci Brown kept Cold Springs in front 9-4. A pair of quick scores by Taylor and Calvert stretched the lead to 13-4 midway through the period and back to back three-pointers from Brown and Kenady Graves made it a 19-7 game. Calvert drained a three late in the first to give the Lady Eagles a 22-7 lead and Taylor split a pair of free throws just before the end of the quarter to make it 23-12 going into the second.
Dickerson laid one in to keep Cold Springs ahead 26-15 early in the second and Brown drilled another three to make it 29-15. Cleveland was able to cut into the lead with an 8-0 run but another basket inside from Taylor and a three by Brown at the buzzer helped give the Lady Eagles a 36-23 advantage at halftime.
Cold Springs took control in the third quarter. Baskets by Taylor and Dickerson stretched the lead to 41-23 early in the third and then the Lady Eagles began to heat up from three-point range. Calvert nailed back to back treys to add to the lead and three-pointers by Graves and Brown made it a 53-23 game with three minutes remaining in the period. After that it was Dickerson’s turn to heat up and she scored the final eight pints of the quarter, including a jumper at the buzzer to put Cold Springs in front 61-25 going into the fourth.
Another three from Calvert and another basket by Brown gave the Lady Eagles a 40-point lead early in the final frame and with the clock running throughout the fourth quarter, Cold Springs cruised to a 77-30 win over Cleveland.
Calvert led the way for Cold Springs with 18 points in the win, followed by Dickerson with 17 and Brown with 16. Taylor added 11 and Graves finished with eight.
The Lady Eagles will be back in action Thursday night at 6 p.m. to take on Locust Fork in this year’s 2A, Area 11 Tournament championship game.
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