photograph: Bill Ferguson Photos
Cameron’s Masseylie attempts a layup in the second quarter of the Dragons’ Class A quarterfinal game against Pendleton County within the Charleston Coliseum.
CHARLSON – The Fourth Cameron Dragons recorded a 10-game winning streak at Charleston on Thursday, beating No. 53-44 in the WVSSAC Class A state quarter-final night cap.
Both teams struggled offensively as Pendleton County took a 10-7 lead after the first quarter and a 18-14 lead at halftime after the 9pm chip. The Wildcats led everything in the second quarter, with 31-26 in fourth.
There was a lot of juice left for the champions in the defense class.
“Every time I time out, I say, ‘Listen to the girl, we’re down four points. It’s okay. It’s two possessions, we’ll get it back,” said Cameron head coach Holly Pettit. “Our teams can score three turnovers in a row, and three baskets in a row, Macinnelly and Macy Bertham and defensive.
I was sure they would get the job done, so I didn’t think it would be long – but I told them first, the first three minutes of the game don’t even count. Both teams, the first game here, need to elicit those uncertainties. I think the girls adjusted well. We talked about what we have to do at halftime and I think we adjusted well. ”
The Dragons tied the game 35-35 after a steal from Senior Massiley and a fast left-handed score at the 5:30 mark. Then it was time to shine on Macy Bertram’s deep three-pointer. Cameron gave his first 38-35 lead since the first quarter.
The two scores were the start of a 13-3 run, sending the dragon firmly into the driver’s seat from one step. Neely 3, who was 2:38 on the watch, set up the dragon with a 46-38 lead.
Neely scored four points in the half, but finished with 25 points, going with seven rebounds and seven steals. Bertram followed with a double double with 10 rebounds with 17 points.
After filming 4-25 in the first half (16%), Cameron flipped the script over the second half and filmed 13-18 (72.2%).
“It was just stagnant in the first half,” Pettit said. “They were playing that zone and we were just standing there. I told them, we’re not going to get what’s out of the 4 feet of the 3-point line. We had to look inside. Maci Neely is a killer inside and she makes wise decisions. That’s what we started doing. And when they start covering her, kick it out and give us the chance to score.”
Neely and Bertram took command of the game in the second half, at which point they filmed 11-12 from the field.
“She cooled her down,” Pettit said of Bertram. “She didn’t get a lot of those finishing baskets, but I think she missed once from the first half foul line. I was waiting for that breakout game for her. She’s always there, she’s so gross and she’s very good in defense. It’s always my two Macys. I’m glad she plays such a breakout game.”
It was Cameron’s defense that helped Cameron seize the game as much as the attack. They held a 1-11 shooting from the field in Pendleton County from the moment the dragon was tied up under the two-minute mark when the game went well.
Avery Townsend led Pendleton County with 22 points.
Cameron’s next game will be the rematch of last year’s Class A state championship. Because the Dragons will face the first-place opponent Gilmer County, who is well known for the state semifinals. The game is scheduled for Friday at 5:30pm.
“We know what they have,” Pettit said of Gilmer County. “They’re good. They have size, speed, shooting, and what they need to be a state championship team. We told the girls, but not looking past this game, they said that if they had the chance to play Gilmer, they would have to play the best game. They’re very balanced, very well coached. I want to give it a shot, I want to see what we can do.”
