Covenant Academy took the first step toward a TNCAA title at home Thursday.
The Lady Lions crushed West Academy 44-22, advancing the local squad to the semifinals of the TNCAA tournament. Emma Madewell led the charge at home, pouring in 17 points in the victory.
“Emma was on. Offensively, it always seems like we have 1-2 players that are clicking each night,” said coach Lacey Slatton. “It was a good win. We were able to get some younger players in to gain some experience going forward.”
Sarah Sharpe added eight points and Naina Patel chipped in seven – all coming in the first quarter – as Covenant cruised to victory. The Lady Lions scored the game’s first 11 points and held a double-digit lead for most of the second quarter and the entire second half.
Madewell exploded in the second quarter. She showed her all-around game with an array of offensive moves. The Lady Lion senior snuck around two screens for back-to-back jumpers, then sliced through two defenders for a layup midway through the quarter.
Madewell also turned defense into offense right before halftime. She was able to get her hand on a pass atop the Lady Lions’ zone, then immediately sprinted the other way when her teammate secured the ball. Spotted up at the three-point line, Madewell launched in transition and hit nothing but net.
The senior’s offensive explosion, finishing with 11 points in the period, helped Covenant build a 26-7 lead at halftime.
Madisen Madewell led the charge in the second half, scoring two early buckets in the third quarter. Savannah Duggin also finished with four points, while Jaelin Stovall and Danielle Petty had two points in the win.
Covenant Academy will now turn its attention to Madison Academy. The semifinal opponent beat Covenant twice in the regular season by a combined five points.
Coach Slatton hopes her team’s growth from those losses are evident in Monday’s matchup.
“We played them early in the season. I think we’ve ironed out some issues and really locked in, especially defensively,” said Slatton. “I have a lot of faith in these girls. This group has a chance to really do some big things.”
Monday’s matchup, slated to be played on the Madison campus, is set for 7:30 p.m. With a win, Covenant would advance to play in Tuesday’s final game.
