Lady Hawks win Area 12 championship

By Staff
Justin Schuver and Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Bethany Evans scored 19 points, including four three-pointers, as Danville knocked off Vinemont 48-44 in the championship game of the Area 12 tournament in Danville Saturday night.
The Lady Hawks fell in the Area 12 final to Vinemont last season, but got its retribution this year in a game that remained close throughout. Danville led 26-20 at the halftime break.
Lauren Simmons scored nine points for the Lady Hawks and Alaina Fitzgerald added eight. Kristen Sparkman finished with a productive night, scoring seven points and leading the team with nine rebounds. Magen Linderman led the Lady Hawks with four assists.
Macy Bailey scored 19 points for Vinemont, who will face Sulligent in a sub-region game Thursday night. Danville will host Winfield Thursday at 7 p.m. in its sub-regional.
Danville girls 45
J.B. Pennington girls 37
Danville's Lady Hawks (14-12) stormed back from a 16-point first half deficit to defeat J. B. Pennington's Lady Tigers 45-37 in the semifinals of the 3A, Area 12 Tournament at home Feb. 9.
The Lady Hawks trailed 16-0 before they got on the scoreboard. Bethany Evans broke the ice by knocking down a three-point shot with 4:10 left in the second quarter. A three-pointer by Magen Linderman put Danville ahead 25-23 with 2:33 left in the third quarter. Lauren Simmons then took over by scoring eight unanswered points in a three minute stretch of the final quarter.
"It was ugly but we'll take it," Lady Hawks coach Robbie Smith said. "We were too tight early in the game and couldn't get anything to go down but that changed in the second half when we found our rhythm and our perimeter shots started to fall.
"We slowed down the game in the fourth quarter because we got into foul trouble. That opened up the post area and we were able to get the ball to Lauren Simmons for some easy layups. But in the end it was our defense that won the game."
The two teams played twice in the regular season, each winning at home.
Simmons paced the Hawks with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Evans followed with nine points and Alaina Fitzgerald, Charleston Wilson and Linderman each had six points.
Alisa Altman paced the Lady Tigers with 12 points. J.J. Duncan had nine.