Belhaven Women’s Basketball Dominates Huntingdon in Wire-to-Wire Win
JACKSON, Miss. — Belhaven Women’s Basketball delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Tuesday night, defeating Huntingdon 73-44 inside Rugg Arena. The Blazers improved to 16-6 overall and 9-5 in Conference Carolina South play with the victory.
Katelyn Coleman led all scorers with 24 points and set a career high with 14 rebounds. Kiersten Hudson added 11 points, Veronica Williams finished with nine points and six rebounds, and Amanda Walker scored eight off the bench. Ten players scored for Belhaven, which shot 47.4% from the field and made six three-pointers. The team also dominated the glass with a 51-31 rebounding edge and forced 20 turnovers. Huntingdon was limited to 20.5% shooting for the game, according to school sources.
Belhaven set the tone early with aggressive defense and transition offense. After missed shots by Makayla Ford and Deshauna Foote, the Blazers went on a 14-0 run midway through the first quarter. Veronica Williams hit a three, Kiersten Hudson scored on a fast-break layup, and Coleman added back-to-back transition finishes to push the lead into double digits. Huntingdon’s Erica Rodriguez responded with a late three, but Belhaven closed the quarter strong, with Jasi Jenkins and Allison Liddell finishing inside and on the fast break for a 22-8 advantage after one.
The Hawks briefly trimmed the lead early in the second quarter with contributions from Ford and Charity Shaw, cutting the margin to nine following a three by Rodriguez. Belhaven responded with an 8-0 run sparked by Amanda Walker, who scored on a fast break and a mid-range jumper. Coleman added free throws and a finish inside, while Tra’Shaylah Wilson converted two free throws to push the lead back to 20. The Blazers carried a 39-19 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, Belhaven extended its lead. Williams opened with a three, and Coleman followed with a fast-break layup, igniting a 9-2 run. After a brief rally by Huntingdon, during which Abby Byrd scored a jumper and Sanders hit a three, Hudson responded with two consecutive three-pointers, pushing the margin to 25. RaMya King scored inside late in the quarter, giving Belhaven a 60-34 advantage heading into the final period.
The Blazers maintained control in the fourth quarter. Wilson scored early inside, and Coleman added two finishing plays in the paint to keep the lead above 20. Huntingdon made a brief push with layups from Ford and a three-point play from Foote, but Williams responded with a three with 3:47 remaining, capping a 9-2 run. Wilson then added two free throws to extend the lead to 27, and Coleman scored the final basket as Belhaven secured the 29-point victory.
Belhaven returns to action Friday, hosting Wesleyan at 5 p.m. as conference play continues. Follow the team on Twitter and Instagram @BelhavenBlazers and like them on Facebook for updates. Donations to support Belhaven Athletics are encouraged through Team Green Giving.
Source: Original Article
