FRANKLIN FURNACE — In the courtroom scene of the movie The Untouchables, Eliot Ness tells gangster Al Capone, “Never Stop. Never stop fighting until the fight is done.”
Green Lady Bobcats’ coach Melissa Knapp may have her team watch the movie after building a big lead and nearly giving it away before holding on to beat the Manchester Lady Greyhounds 57-50 on Monday.
‘We played really well most of the game, but we were very sloppy in the last quarter,” said Green coach Melissa Knapp.
“We were up 32 and we were outscored 28-8 in the fourth quarter. Hats off to Manchester. They are the definition of ‘never quit.’”
The Lady Greyhounds took an 11-9 first quarter lead as Destiny Alexander scored 6 points and Mayhayla Brown added 5.
Abbie Knapp hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 of Green’s points.
But Green took off in the second quarter and outscored Manchester 22-4 and led 31-15 at the half.
Knapp knocked down 3 shots from behind the arc and scored 15 points in the second quarter. Addison Blizzard also hit a 3-pointer for Green.
Shawna Bryant and Abby Neria had baskets for Manchester’s total.
The Lady Bobcats pulled away from the Lady Greyhounds in the third quarter to lead 49-22.
Matti Hayslip buried a couple of 3-pointers and sank 2 free throws as she scored 8 points in the third quarter while Knapp was 5-of-6 at the line and Green led 49-22.
Alexander and Raegan Wikoff combined to score Manchester’s 7 points.
Then came the fourth quarter and the nearly miracle comeback by the Lady Greyhounds who outscored Green 28-8.
Wikoff drilled home 4 shots from behind the arc and scored 13 points. Shawna Bryant made a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points. Abby Neria hit a 3-pointer and Mayayla Brown connected on a basket.
But the Lady Bobcats were just 2-of-14 from the foul line in the fourth quarter as Manchester made its comeback only to fall short.
Abbie Knipp scored a game-high 31 points to lead Green (11-8) with Matti Hayslip getting 10 points.
Wikoff scored 16 and Alexander 12 to pace Manchester (4-16).
Manchester 11 4 7 28 = 50
Green 9 22 18 8 = 57
MANCHESTER (4-16): Mattie Dunn 0 0 0-0 0, Gabby Arnett 0 0 0-0 0, Shawna Bryant 2 2 0-0 1-, Raegan Wikoff 1 4 2-4 16, Destiny Alexander 6 0 0-2 12, Abby Neria 1 1 0-2 5, Mahayla Brown 2 0 3-4 7. Totals: 12 7 5-12 50. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Alexander.
GREEN (11-8): Abbie Knapp 5 4 9-15 31, Matti Hayslip 1 2 2-2 10, Mylee Hunt 2 0 1-4 5, Mylee Brown 1 0 0-4 2, Ava Abrams 1 0 0-0 2, Addison Blizzard 0 1 0-0 3, Natalie Butler 1 0 0-0 2, Izzy Conley 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 12 7 12-25 57. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
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