Slaughter, Chamblee lead Lady Rams to 17th win

Published 11:52 am Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

AHOSKIE – Ridgecroft School’s varsity girls kept their win streak intact here Tuesday night, improving to 17-0 overall with a 42-31 win over Pungo Christian Academy.

Ridgecroft senior guard Makenzie Slaughter drives to the basket for two of her team-high 14 points in Tuesday’s 42-31 win over Pungo Christian. Photo by William Anthony

The Lady Rams (7-0 in the Tarheel Independent Conference) used the win to lock up the league’s regular season title and the top seed in next week’s TIC tournament, which will be held on their home court.

Ridgecroft never trailed on Tuesday, pulling away from an 8-6 lead with just under three minutes left in the first quarter en route to a 16-7 advantage by the end of the period. Makenzie Slaughter, Klaire Cherry, Camryn Taylor, and Kate Chamblee each had a basket during that 8-1 run.

That advantage reached 12 points (22-10) when Chamblee scored off her offensive rebound with 4:20 left in the second quarter. Karley Jo Rose and Slaughter closed the period with baskets as the Lady Rams led 26-12 at halftime.

Pungo got as close as 10 points (28-18) when Katie Baxter completed a three-point play to highlight a 6-2 run over the opening four minutes of the third quarter.

A basket from Rose got the Lady Rams rolling again followed by Slaughter scoring twice on drives to the basket plus sinking one free throw that staked Ridgecroft to a 35-22 lead by the end of the period.

That margin grew as high as 17 points (39-22) thanks to Chamblee scoring twice over the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter.

Lady Rams (42)

Makenzie Slaughter – 14, Kate Chamblee – 12, Karley Jo Rose – 6, Camryn Taylor – 6, Klaire Cherry – 4.

Lady Raiders (31)

Alden Taylor – 14, Ginny Pugh – 5, Julia Rouse – 4, Katie Baxter – 3, Sayla Brown – 2, Reagan Walker – 2, EllaKate Hanna – 1

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

email author More by Cal