GLASGOW – Warren East continues to turn heads.
The Lady Raiders, who have shocked many with their new – and improved – program this season, won 54-43 at Glasgow on Saturday evening. It marked East’s 13th win of 2017-18, which is its most in a season since also winning 13 games in 2008-09.
“It’s been real special,” first-year Warren East coach Orlando Hayden said of this season. “I told the girls before we first come out that I figured we could probably walk out of here and win 16-18 games. Had a couple injuries at the beginning of the season, and I still have two girls out.
“If we can get them back before we get into district (tournament) time, we should be pretty decent.”
Warren East (13-10, 10-8 Region 4), which is now guaranteed at least the No. 3 seed in the District 14 Tournament after winning 50-43 at Greenwood on Friday, had to battle back from an early deficit to earn Saturday’s win over Glasgow (14-6, 10-6).
The Lady Scotties took a 9-0 lead early, and it seemed that they were going to be able to cruise to an easy win. But the Lady Raiders weren’t going to let that happen, finding a consistent rhythm and putting their feet on the gas to record a comeback road victory.
Lucy Patterson led Warren East with 18 points, while Cailyn Howard and Cressida Duncan each scored 10. Kaylyn Hale carried Glasgow with 14 points, and Amanda Lee finished with 12.
Glasgow came out firing on all cylinders.
The Lady Scotties jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead to open the game, as Lee was already up to four points. Patterson responded with an individual 6-0 run to cut Warren East’s deficit to three with 2:49 left in the first quarter.
“We kind of dug ourselves a hole,” Hayden said. “We got down 9-0. I kind of joke with them and tell them, ‘We’ve got them right where we want them at.’ But then, we came and played much better. I think we’re really getting better on our man-to-man defense. With that being said, I think we’re playing a whole lot better.”
Glasgow held a slim 12-9 advantage after one, and the two sides continued to exchange baskets throughout the second.
Warren East took its first lead with just over two minutes remaining in the opening half, but Hale knocked down her fourth three of the game to put Glasgow back up 19-17.
Thanks to a steal by the Lady Raiders, Howard scored on a fastbreak layup with 8.9 seconds left on the clock to put them up 20-19 at halftime. Patterson was leading East with nine points, while Hale was already up to 12 for the Lady Scotties.
The Lady Raiders really found their groove in the second half.
“The main thing for us right now is that our defensive pressure has picked up a whole lot,” said Hayden. “We’re now making people uncomfortable and making them go the way they don’t wanna go. And, in our last few games, our offense has been clicking because our guards are playing well.”
Warren East led for the entire third quarter, and a basket by Patterson just before the buzzer gave it a 33-28 lead entering the fourth. The Lady Raiders outscored Glasgow 13-9 in period and used a tenacious defensive intensity to take the Lady Scotties out of their usual offensive rhythm.
Leading 39-34 with 3:24 left, Howard knocked down a pair of free throws to push the Lady Raiders’ lead to seven at 41-34. But then Lee scored four straight to help cut Glasgow’s deficit to 41-39 with 2:02 left.
That’s as close as the Lady Scotties would get, as Warren East made clutch free throws late and recorded a marquee road win in a tough environment.
“Now we look pretty good,” Hayden said. “It’s been the past few games we’ve had a different leading scorer every night. That’s big for us.”
Senior writer Tyler Mansfield can be reached at mansfield.sportingtimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @_TylerMansfield.
