Brickhouse Slaughter
Photo by Darrell James Mallory Smith (10) scored a game-high 23 points in Cedar Creek's win of Slaughter Community Charter Thursday.
Mallory Smith with 23 points. Slaughter Community Charter at 22 points.
That was the kind of easy-going night it was for the No. 9 Cedar Creek Lady Cougars (17-12) in their 66-22 win over No. 24 Slaughter Community Charter in the first round of the Division IV select playoffs on Thursday, setting up a second round matchup against No. 8 St. Martin’s Episcopal (16-5) on Monday.
"We jumped on them pretty early and our energy was really good all night," Creek head coach Katie Hall said. "We had good ball pressure and had a lot of steals and forced them into some ill-advised passes on their end which we used to score. Our outside shots didn't fall early but our defense picked up where our offense wasn't."
As for the blowout win for Creek on Thursday, it didn't take long for the game to turn into a waiting game on the clock to run out with the Lady Cougars coming out of the gates outscoring Slaughter 27-6 in the first quarter and 50-17 by halftime. Smith had 13 points in the first quarter, turning defense into offense and finding her way to the free-throw line four times within the first eight minutes. Leah Sutherland added 6 points of her own in the first quarter, finishing with 9 points for the game before being pulled in the third with the game in hand.
By intermission, Smith had 20 points, Sutherland and Olivia Underwood each had 7, while Zoey Venters and Ainsley Riley each had 4 points. A total of 10 Lady Cougars scored in the win.
Creek shot 29 free throws to Slaughter's 11 attempts, but Hall was pleased her group didn't let the margin on the scoreboard or the physicality of the fouls dictate their focus at the line and willingness to play with intensity when they needed it.
"It was fun seeing all the seniors play well and I'm glad they got to enjoy their final game at the Brickhouse like they did," Hall said. "I thought there were some tough fouls but the girls kept their composure and didn't let it get in their heads. They really shared the ball well and were just really unselfish."
After spending four of their last five games at home, the Lady Cougars will now travel to face No. 8 St. Martin’s Episcopal (16-5) on Monday at 6 p.m.
Creek went 8-6 on the road in the regular season, but won four of its last five away games to give Hall confidence in her group's ability to lock in for the nearly five-hour trip ahead.
"This is why I like to travel and have them spend a night in a hotel and get that experience of having to get up and move," Hall said. "And we already went down and played in Metairie in January, so I think we'll be ready to play."
