BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — Martin County Middle School girls basketball season began this week with the B-team holding off Paintsville 22-18 on their home floor Aug. 13. The A-team fought back in the second half but could not stay hot as the Tigers came away with a 41-18 win.
The B-team jumped out on the Tigers in the first game of the evening. Harleigh Maynard, Alivia Stacy and Haileigh Smith put six quick points on the board for the Lady Cards.
Maynard knocked down a free throw and Stacy scored four in transition to extend the lead at halftime.
Zoe Sammons jumped in on the action in the third quarter with two long jumpers for the Cardinals.
Martin County hit a bout of cold shooting that allowed the Tigers to claw their way back into the game.
With two and a half minutes remaining in the contest, Paintsville pulled within one.
Stacy popped out on the wing for the Lady Cards and nailed a long two for a 19-16 lead.
Paintsville responded with a bucket of their own.
With one minute remaining, the Cards spread the floor and opened up the paint for Sammons. She rolled around a low screen to rise above a Tigers defender to put Red back up three.
After a Tigers turnover, Maynard was fouled and sent to the free-throw line for two. The young gun sunk one of two with 11 seconds showing on the clock.
Martin County put the pressure on for the final possession and Stacy came away with a steal at half-court to seal the deal.
Sammons and Stacy led the way with eight points each. Maynard finished with four while Smith added two for the Cards.
The A-team matchup began as a high-paced contest. Kennedy Mills had three quick blocks to begin the first quarter for the Cards.
Multi-sport athlete Annaleigh Davis scored four points for Martin County. The shots were not falling for the Cards and Davis was the lone point in the second quarter.
The Red and White turned things up coming out of the locker room. Anna Hinkle and Bri Muncy each sunk a bucket. Davis added three more points for a Cardinal rally.
The Tigers pulled away again in the fourth as Martin County dropped their first game of the season.
Davis led the Cardinals with 12 points, six steals and three rebounds. Bri Muncy, Hinkle and K.B. Muncy each added two points for Martin County.
Mills protected the paints with four blocks for the evening. Stacy had two blocks in the fourth quarter for the Cards.
Martin County will travel to WB Muncy on Thursday at 6 p.m.