The Chillicothe Lady Hornets basketball team got off to a much slower start in their matchup against Maryville in the Savannah Tournament than the Lady Hornets did in the first two games of the season, but the result was more of the same from Coach Darren Smith’s squad.
The Lady Hornets led just 8-6 after the first quarter that saw Lyla Beetsma score or assist on all the Chillicothe points. However in the 2nd quarter Maryville made a run, leading by as many as five points behind four first half threes. Chillicothe responded with a pair of long range connections and the Spoofhound advantage was 20-19 at the break.
In the 2nd half, the Lady Hornets defensive intensity ramped up. Chillicothe’s full court press turned over Maryville consistently and limited the Spoofhound offense. Lydia Bonderer took over offensively, creating opportunities for herself with strong drives, aggressive post play, and showcasing skill around the rim leading to a game high 23. The Lady Hornets used a 25-2 run to pull away from Maryville, winning 53-31.
The Lady Hornets will look to defend their Savannah tournament title against the hosts on Thursday with tip-off at 7:00. Chillicothe is now 3-0 on the season with all the wins coming by 20+ points.
Chillicothe 8 19 36 53
Maryville 6 20 26 31
Individual scoring:
Chillicothe – Bonderer 23, Beetsma 13, Lexy Smith 6, Ava Leamer 5, Emerson Staton 4, Dawson Baxter 2
Maryville – Claire Walter 12, Brylee Acklin 6, Jade Price 5, Grace Stiens 4, Payton Kurz 2, Emily Yaple 2