Blazers open with 45-29 win

0

NEW PARIS — Troy Ferguson couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season for his National Trail girls’ basketball team.

The Blazers forced several turnovers and converted those into points on their way to a 45-29 win over visiting Dixie on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

“You can’t ask for a better start to your season than that. We were hitting shots, forcing steals and getting turnovers, which is what we want to do. I was really pleased,” he said.

Trail got balanced scoring in the first eight minutes and raced out to a 13-2 lead. Freshman Makena Laird scored five of her eight points in the first quarter, junior JaLynn Byrd scored four of her nine points for the game in the frame, while senior Payton Laird added two of her seven and sophomore Evan Byrd tallied two of her game-high 11 in the quarter.

Sophomore Savanna Abner scored eight.

The Blazers extended their lead to 28-8 at halftime.

“I thought we started the game really well. We talk about four E’s, effort, energy, enthusiasm, and execution, and I thought, the first half especially, we did a really good job of that.”

In the second half, Trail saw its lead dip to 14 on a couple of occasions but was never really threatened by the Greyhounds.

“We talked after the game, we kind of had a lull there in the third quarter, but we picked it back after a little bit,” Ferguson said. “Overall, for our first game, playing a bunch of young kids, I was really pleased.”

Trail (1-0) was scheduled to host Northeastern (Ind.) on Thursday, Dec. 1.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/12/web1_ntgbk6-1.jpg

National Trail sophomore Evan Byrd scored a game-high 11 points to lead the Blazers to a 45-29 season-opening win over Dixie on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/12/web1_ntgbk5-1.jpgNational Trail sophomore Evan Byrd scored a game-high 11 points to lead the Blazers to a 45-29 season-opening win over Dixie on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/12/web1_ntgbk4-1.jpg

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/12/web1_ntgbk3-1.jpg

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/12/web1_ntgbk2-1.jpg

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/12/web1_ntgbk1-1.jpg

By Eddie Mowen Jr.

[email protected]

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4056 or on Twitter @emowen_RH.

No posts to display