Dec 29, 2024
St. Marys’ Brynnley Bulluck scores inside as Gilmer County’s Ava Dobbins contest during Saturday’s game. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)
ST. MARYS — Allie Ellyson went for a game-high 22 points for preseason Class A, No. 1 Gilmer County here Saturday afternoon, but No. 4, Class AA St. Marys took the lead for good on a Callie Powell trifecta to close out the third quarter en route to securing a 55-51 Little Kanawha Conference victory.
The 6-1 Blue Devils of head man Fred King used a balanced scoring attack thanks to Powell (15), the return of Addie Davis (14) from a four-plus game absence, Brynnley Bulluck (13) and Anna Bennett, who had 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists and was a theft behind Davis’ game-high five steals.
“She’s not there yet, but thank God we had her,” admitted King of Davis, who opened the season with 20 points against Ravenswood before getting hurt in the first quarter versus Frontier. “Our two seniors, Addie and Callie, hit huge out of bounds plays shots and quality 3-pointers. I got to give credit to Miss Anna Bennett. She touches, I mean if it was NCIS she’d be arrested.
“She’s got her fingertips on everything. I’ll forget about that one pass she made in the fourth quarter where you threw it out of bounds to the phantom player. I said those other 1,000 things you did is the reason we are in a position to win. I also have to give credit to number 11 (Laney Watkins). I played two seniors, two sophomores and two freshmen today. I’m very pleased with what they did.”
Ellyson, who tied Bennett for game-high assist honors with four, watched teammate Lena Frymier finish with 11 points and Ava Dobbins go for nine markers along with game-highs of 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
The St. Marys girls huddle prior to Saturday’s game against Gilmer County. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)
The Titans, who shot 36.4% (20 of 55) compared to the Blue Devils’ 33.9% (18 of 53), held a commanding 45-31 edge on the glass. However, after allowing a dozen offensive rebounds to the Titans in the first half, the Blue Devils only gave up three after intermission as Watkins and Davis finished with five caroms apiece.
“That team is a very good team and we need to play teams like that that’s going to bring out our weaknesses and the things that we need to work on to get us ready for the end game,” admitted Titan boss Amy Chapman, whose club slipped to 5-2 with its only other loss to quad-A Parkersburg. “There’s still a lot of things we need to work on and get cleaner with in game situations.
“Just the IQ part of it needs to get a lot better. She (Davis) doesn’t look like she’s been out. She looked good. She looked pretty fresh and still a playmaker. They got three really good playmakers that can make big-time shots and big-time plays in big-time moments. Hats off to them. We just want to get some of our kids in the same type of mindset.”
Gilmer County grabbed a 26-25 intermission advantage thanks to a putback by Kenley Hartshorn.
In an affair which featured five ties and 15 lead changes, Bulluck’s third and final assist led to Powell’s 3 and the Blue Devils taking the lead for good at 38-35 late in the third.
Gilmer County’s Blair Dobbins defends against St. Marys’ Anna Bennett during Saturday’s game. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)
“Without Addie for those games we became a better team and it showed up today,” added coach King, whose squad returns to action on Friday at Tyler Consolidated. “Brynnley stepped up and did some nice things and Callie hit some big shots.
“We took some ill-advised shots at the end of the second quarter and went Barney Fife solo instead of just working one more pass, but that’s kids. That’s why I got a little upset at halftime. I said listen girls ‘we were doing fine. We were in a chorus. We were signing in harmony and you guys decided to go Barney Fife solo.’”
A skip pass from Powell resulted in a Davis triple to open the fourth just 16 seconds in. Buckley followed with a foul shot for a 42-35 cushion.
Down 45-39, Dobbins blocked a shot, but Davis stole the ball and had a lay-in to put the Titans down eight with 5:04 to go.
A Dobbins deuce via a Laura Brannon, who had five points, assist was followed by a Frymier 3 to close it to 47-44. The deficit was still just three points with 1:40 left after Frymier connected fro deep again, but the Titans couldn’t overcome seven turnovers in the fourth as Davis basically salted the game away with two charity stripe makes with 25.9 to play which made it 54-49.
Gilmer County’s Malory Casteel guards St. Marys’ Brynnley Bulluck as Titan Ava Dobbins as well as Blue Devils Anna Bennett (2) and Laney Watkins (11) look on during Saturday’s game. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)
“Just keep grinding,” replied coach Chapman when asked what her postgame message to the team was. “It’s a long season still yet. Plenty more of those games to come.”
The Titans will look to return to the win column when they head Friday to Webster County.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com
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