LANDRUM- If a basketball team dusted off each opponent by at least 20 points, the challenge to be better might disappear. Landrum’s Lady Cardinals had no such issue on Tuesday evening, when a very fine Christ Church Episcopal team came to town, and gave Landrum a dose of what post-season play might be like, handing the Cards a 65-41 defeat.

 

The Cavaliers were only the second team to defeat the Cardinals, who are 13-2 overall, and now 2-1 in region competition. Landrum head coach Deon Brice reminds everyone that “most definitely” his team got a whiff of what post-season play might be like, but added that the Cardinals will face the Cavs once more during the regular season, at CCE. The two teams, Brice added, could potentially meet for the Upper State championship title.

 

“Tonight, we mentally broke down at times,” Brice noted, though he emphasized, “We’ll get it turned back around.”

 

Actually, the Cardinals stayed with the Cavs through the first quarter, trailing just 19-16 after eight minutes, after falling behind, 16-9. At the half’s end, however, it was the Cavs by 35-22, and for most of the night, the Cardinals lost the battle of the boards.

 

The Cavaliers were able to stymie Landrum’s main weapons, leaving Sarah Harris, the Cards’ high scorer, with nine points, followed by Lindsey Hardin and Kaylee Huntley (eight points each), Ellen Boatwright (six), Sara Price and Rachel Lanford (four each) and Bailey Butler (two).

 

CCE’s Paula Pieper’s five three pointers helped her lead all scorers with 21. The Cavs’ Lauren Cook cleaned up on the boards, and also contributed 17 points. Harris, Hardin and Boatwright each hit one three.

 

In the second quarter, Hardin’s steal and layup brought the Cardinals to within 21-20, as the fired-up hosts nearly took command of the game. Soon, the Cavs had held Landrum to those 20 points, while the guests boosted their score to 29, gradually pulling away.

 

This evening, the Cardinals host Greer Middle College, with play set to begin at 6 p.m., the same starting time as when they host Chesnee on Jan. 27.