The Copper Basin Lady Cougar basketball team started the 2021 year off with a bang as they overpowered region rival, the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Tuesday, January 12, for a 48-32 win.
Sapporiah Ross kicked off the scoring for the Lady Cougars in the first quarter, as she rattled in a two-point bucket down low. Laney Jory made a two-point bucket off of a Skyler Nipper assist as they took a 4-0 lead. CSAS answered back scoring seven points unanswered before Jory netted a three-point bucket from the corner to tie the game 7-7. Ross had a nasty block that gave the Lady Cougars the momentum as Raegan Higdon scored on an offensive rebound put-back that gave Copper Basin a 9-7 lead with 1:30 to go in the first quarter. Nipper was able to muscle in a two-point bucket before the end of the first quarter to take an 11-7 lead over the CSAS Lady Patriots.
Ross and Nipper began to bully their way to the basket in the second quarter as they combined for eight points scoring two, two-point buckets each. Riley Smith was fouled driving to the basket and was able to convert two free throws, and Higdon had a nice cut to the basket that resulted in a two-point bucket. The Lady Cougar lead grew to 19-11 in the second before CSAS battled back to cut the lead within six points. Copper Basin went into the locker room at halftime with a 23-17 lead.
Nipper kept the scoring going for Copper Basin in the third quarter as she worked the paint to get an offensive rebound and a two-point, put-back basket. Nipper later scored another two-point basket off of an offensive rebound to give her four points in the third. Sydney Hickey was able to net two, two-point buckets, and Smith fought her way to the free throw stripe, where she converted one free throw. Jory got a two-point bucket to go to cap an 11-point third quarter for the Lady Cougars as they increased their lead 34-25 over the Lady Patriots to start the fourth quarter.
Copper Basin held CSAS to just seven points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Cougars netted 14 points. Higdon led the Lady Cougars with six points on a long range three-point bucket and three free throws. Ross continued to dominate the paint and scored four points on two, two-point baskets, while Jory and Nipper scored a two-point bucket each to end the scoring run.
With the win, the Lady Cougars improve to 1-0 in region play.
CBHS 11 12 11 14 - 43
CSAS 07 10 08 07 - 32
Lady Cougars summary:
Points: Nipper 12, Higdon 10, Ross 10, Jory 9, Hickey 4, Smith 3.
Free throws: Higdon 3-4, Smith 3-4, Jory 0-1, Hickey 0-2.