Rosewood girls avenge OT loss to Aycock

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 12, 2015 11:15 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Same scenario.

Same outcome.

After dropping consecutive overtime losses on its home court to Charles B. Aycock each of the last two seasons, Rosewood -- again -- got revenge on the road.

But they needed three-plus quarters to pull off the feat.

Lexi Mercer crashed the defensive glass, found Jala Holloman in transition and the speedy guard did the rest Friday evening. Holloman pumped in a game-high 21 points for the Eagles, who emerged victorious, 57-47.

"You've got get that defensive rebound to get those run-outs," third-year RHS head coach Rick Grantham said. "A lot of times there, I thought we were taking care of the backboard. I had told them at halftime if we could clean up the defensive backboard, I think we can get more chances."

Holloman converted two uncontested layups on assists from Mercer, buried a 3-pointer and drained three free throws. Alyssa Garrison and Payton Lane also hit key baskets as Rosewood collected its third win of the season.

Mercer did not score the final 10-plus minutes of the game, but finished with a double-double -- 12 points, 14 rebounds. The Elon University signee also handed out six assists.

"They are a better team when she scores 12 to 15 points, and gets everybody else involved," second-year CBA head coach Roy Harrell said of Mercer.

Rosewood (3-2 overall) seized control with a 16-0 run that lasted more than six minutes. Aycock led 40-36, but entered the fourth down 41-40 after Mercer hit the back end of a two-shot foul with 1.5 seconds left in the third.

The Eagles' pressure defense and the Golden Falcons' lack of following their shot on the offensive end proved crucial. Rosewood flourished in its transition game, which forced Harrell to burn a pair of 30-second timeouts in an attempt to extinguish the offensive surge.

Aycock ended the run on Lexi Edmundson's baseline drive.

"We switched up our press to make them go faster," Holloman said. "I knew they were going to try to get Lexi to foul out or take charges on her, so I knew I had to step up and get out there and play as hard I can so that we can win."

Harrell said the game began to get away from his team just before halftime.

RHS led 28-24 at the break.

"Our girls wanted to try to run up and down the floor with their girls, and that's not our style of play. We told them that at the end of the first quarter and halftime," Harrell said.

"(We) started off pretty good in the first half rebounding offensively and defensively. Then we go to standing around and looking to see if it would go in. You can't stand there and hope you make it."

Lane added 10 points for the Eagles.

Taylor Daniels and Hannah Vinson tallied 15 and nine points, respectively, as the Golden Falcons dropped to 5-3 overall this season.