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Led by star juniors Anna Freeman and Elizabeth Merritt along with sophomore Candace Fox, the Lady Golden Eagles (23-4) put together a quarter for the ages, scoring 30 in the initial eight minutes in a display of basketball that would make any instructional video a sure hit.
“We came out on a roll in that first quarter,” said East coach Terry Allmon. “I’d like to have that every quarter. We came out strong and played well. I thought we got after it and maybe shell-shocked them a little bit.”
Perfection can be misused quite often in sports, but the word fit EDHS’ execution in the first quarter, well, perfectly. Just three days after the Lady Eagles dropped a heartbreaking double-overtime decision to Salisbury in the Central Carolina tournament final, East re-focused its attention back on making a deep run into the playoffs.
“We were all really pumped because it’s the playoffs,” Freeman said. “We know that everything we’ve done in the past means nothing once you get here. We were all just real excited to be back here in the playoffs. We really wanted to play as team and get off to a good start.”
Freeman, Merritt and Fox scored eight points each in the first quarter with an array of beautiful baskets. Merritt dominated the low block, helping Freeman in the post, while Fox drained jumpers from the perimeter. By the time Monroe knew what happened the Red Hawks trailed 30-14 heading into the second quarter. All five starters scored in the frame as Alyssa Cutshaw knocked down a 3 and Stacey Hicks made a fast-break layup.
“It seemed like all our shots were falling,” said Merritt, who played her best game since getting into a car accident a month ago. “I would be under the basket ready to rebound and it would go in every time. That was getting me pumped up. It was a total team effort. I haven’t thought about my car wreck in a long time so I felt really good tonight.”
Monroe (18-10) had some talent, especially in Jeanette and Willette Oxner. Jeanette and Willette Oxner scored the first 29 points for the Lady Red Hawks as the twins created all sorts of trouble for the EDHS defense. Whether it was in the lane or behind the 3-point line, one Oxner or the other managed to keep the score relatively close after the lobsided opening quarter. A pair of Cutshaw free throws inside the final minute of the first half put the Lady Golden Eagles up 20, but Willette Oxner reeled off four quick points in the final 30 seconds of the second quarter, creeping Monroe within 45-29.
“I still didn’t feel comfortable because they can get hot in a hurry,” Allmon said of the Lady Red Hawks. “They have two very good players. You can’t stop them from scoring. Overall, I was pleased with how we played.”
If the Lady Red Hawks had any inkling of a comeback, all hope faded away once the third quarter got underway. The Lady Golden Eagles opened the second half with a 17-2 run that closed that discussion. Fox hit a pair of 3s from the top-of-the-key and Cutshaw drained one from the left-wing as the lead ballooned to 30.
Freeman finished with a career-high 29 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and three assists. Merritt tallied 12 points and 15 boards, Fox tacked on 15 with three 3s, and Cutshaw added 10. Jeanette Oxner went off for 26 points with Willette Oxner contributing 17. No other Lady Red Hawk had more than three.