Girls basketball: Trailblazers win two, face Lewis Cass today for Carroll Holiday Tournament trophy

The REPORTER

University’s girls advanced to the championship game of the Carroll Holiday Tournament with a pair of wins Friday.

The Trailblazers cruised to a 53-38 win over Western in the opening game and rallied from an early deficit to defeat Heritage Christian 47-39 in the semifinals.

University led wire to wire against Western. Taylor Seay opened the scoring with a three pointer off a Mack Feeney offensive rebound. Feeney scored off a Leah Norvell steal and Sydney Culp’s three pointer gave University an 8-2 lead. The Blazers led 18-12 after the first. Norvell hit a pair of three pointers for a team-high six points in the quarter.

Scoring slowed in the second quarter but a quick burst of four points in 20 seconds by Seay helped University maintain a 26-21 lead at halftime.

The Trailblazers took control in the third quarter outscoring the Panthers 11-1 in the first 4:40 of the second half. Two baskets by Seay, two by Gabby Culp and one by Feeney gave University a 37-22 lead midway through the quarter. The Blazers led 42-27 after the third.

University pushed the lead to 49-27 early in the third. Sydney Culp scored off a Feeney assist, Meg Rohloff buried a three pointer and Feeney scored off a Seay still to remove any doubt.

Seay had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and a team high eight steals. Norvell had 11 points and seven rebounds. Gabby Culp had nine points and Feeney eight. Rohloff and Sydney Culp each had five.

The Trailblazers fell behind 10-2 against Heritage Christian before outscoring the Eagles 45-23 to hold a 47-33 lead with less than two minutes remaining.

University narrowed the Eagles lead to 12-11 by the end of the first quarter before Sydney Culp’s three pointer beat the halftime buzzer to put the Blazers up 24-18 at the break.

University outscored Heritage Christian 12-8 in the third quarter to push the lead to 36-26 and held a double-digit lead for most of the final quarter. Heritage Christian scored the last six points of the game to narrow the final margin.

Feeney had a career-high 13 points to lead the Blazers. The junior pulled down a team high 12 rebounds. Seay had a dozen points. Gabby Culp had an all-around game with ten points, seven rebounds and four assists.

University committed just four turnovers in the game and handed out 13 assists on 21 made baskets.

The pair of wins pushed University’s record above .500 for the first time this season at 6-5. Heritage Christian falls to 5-9.

The Trailblazers will play Lewis Cass (11-2) for the tournament championship at 2 p.m. Saturday. Cass advanced to the championship with wins over Carroll (50-27) and Northside Home School (42-40).