Ooltewah Owls Girls Basketball

Ooltewah gets sweep in 6-AAA tournament

By: Kelley Smiddie

Soddy-Daisy’s girls led 6-3 before the Lady Owls went on an 11-3 run that Abby O’Rear capped with a 3-pointer from left of the key for the first points of the second quarter. It also proved to be their last field goal before halftime, yet they managed to stay within 19-15 at the break. “We know sometimes we’re offensively challenged,” Ooltewah coach Chris Baker said. “No one is going to confuse us with the Lakers. But, we defended. More importantly, we rebounded. The two times they kicked us this year they beat us to death on the glass. Normally a physical game is not our style, but we didn’t back down and that was the difference in the ballgame.” Ooltewah bounced back with as many points in the third quarter as they scored in the first two and had a five-point lead before Soddy-Daisy’s Leigh Phillips rebounded and made a fadeaway shot along the baseline before the third-quarter horn sounded. The Lady Owls’ Stephanie Braz scored 10 of her game-high 15 points in the third. Ooltewah’s Rebecca Newton contributed six assists and four steals. Her most pivotal contribution was converting both ends of a one-and-one with :26.9 seconds to play.

Stephanie Braz was ranked 12th in the leading scorers totalling 209 points. In 13 games she averages 16.1 points per game. Congratulations Stephanie!