C2D2 GBK: East Carter moves on with win over Van Buren

VAN BUREN -- The reigning Class 2 District 2 champions, the East Carter Lady Redbirds got an easy route to the semifinals after landing a first-round win in dominant fashion.

The Lady Redbirds took on the Van Buren Lady Dawgs, and after connecting with many shots in the first half, East Carter walked away with a 95-30 victory and a spot in the semifinals.

East Carter head coach Angela Rodgers said no matter the team, they will show up and play them with respect. She said it was a good win for the Lady Redbirds after having a tough stretch in their last few matchups to close out the regular season.

“It felt good to get this win because we had a rough last few games,” Rodgers said. “We’ve been dealing with a few injuries, but some of the girls are starting to find their groove. We’re ready to go, we’ve played well all season. Our goal is to get everyone back on the same page while staying healthy, and hopefully, we can carry this win into the rest of the week.”

Both teams stepped onto the floor with a lot of energy as they traded baskets for the first few minutes of the game. Though the Lady Redbirds held an 11-7 lead moments into the game, they knew it was out of the norm to have the game close after their last contest against the Lady Dawgs.

After a quick adjustment, the Lady Redbirds exploded with many shots around the perimeter, and midway through the first quarter, the game quickly shifted heavily in their favor. With a dagger triple from senior Dylan Price, the Lady Redbirds closed out the first half on a 38-10 run.

By halftime, the Lady Redbirds secured their spot in the semis as the lead was too wide to overcome for Van Buren. The Lady Redbirds continued to rack up points, and the remainder of the game would be used as a tuneup for the next round.

The Lady Redbirds finished the game with multiple players in double figures, led by Parker Golden, who scored 22 points. Anna Crowley had 20 points, Ciara Duckett had 18 and Breanna Dohleman had 13.

The Lady Redbirds will return to Van Buren on Wednesday to play in the semifinals in hopes of getting back to the district finals. Rodgers said cleaning up the little mistakes will help their chances on Wednesday.

“We’ve got to clean up our passes,” Rodgers said. “It’s the simple things that hold us back sometimes, and we must correct them before our next game. We need to get back to basics and taking care of the basketball is really going to be important to us.”