ESPN’s second-ranked Hamilton Heights’ girls defeated No. 12 Mercer County, 51-37, Monday on the final day of the Music City Classic in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Lady Hawks (17-2) had two players – Elizabeth Balogun and Treasure Hunt – combine for 35 points, almost outscoring the entire Lady Titans squad. Balogun had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Hunt finished with 15 points.
Monday’s game was tied 25-25 at halftime, but the Lady Hawks hammered the Lady Titans, 26-12, in the second half, taking full advantage of their height and depth to blow the game open.
A strong inside game helped the Lady Hawks to out-score Mercer County, 36-6, in the paint and defensively held the Lady Titans scoreless in the final 4 minutes and 7 seconds of the game.
Esmery Martinez added a team-high 14 rebounds and Kamilla Cardosa had eight. Jazmine Massengill notched six assists without committing a turnover.
Hamilton Heights out-rebounded the Lady Titans, 40-25.
The Lady Hawks will be in Louisville, Kentucky, this weekend for the Raatz Fence/Oshea’s Classic and will take on Miami Country Day, the team which defeated them in last season’s Dick’s Sporting Goods national championship game on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Boxscore
Mercer County 10 15 7 5 – 37
Hamilton Heights 10 15 14 12 – 51
Mercer County (37) – Davis 6, McCombs 3, Seygan Robins 16, F. Lake, L. Lake 6, Lewis 3, Souder 9.
Hamilton Heights (51) – Massengill 6, Elizabeth Balogun 20, Treasure Hunt 15, Rodriguez, Cardosa 2, Martinez 6.
3-Point Goals – Mercer County 10 (Robins 4, Davis 2, L. Lake 2, McCombs 1, Lewis 1), Hamilton Heights 2 (Balogun 1, Hunt 1).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)