Huntingdon women pick up win against Oglethorpe

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon women's basketball team wasn't as sharp as head coach Buzz Phillips wanted on Saturday. But the Lady Hawks overcame a slow start and knocked off Oglethorpe 53-44 in the second day of Huntingdon's Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

"It was an ugly first half. But that happens when you have as much time off as we have," Phillips said of the Lady Hawks, who last played on Dec. 18. "We've all enjoyed our Christmas break and a little time off, but when you have that much time off you generally make a lot of mistakes that first time back on the court.

"Fortunately, we led 25-20 at the half and we played better in the second half. In the second half, we played some of the best defense we've played all season. We're going to have to turn it up and play a more physical game on Sunday. Alma is going to be a good test."

The Lady Hawks (4-6) host Alma (3-7) at noon Sunday in the final game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

In Saturday's win, Devin Douglas and Raven Prater each scored 11 points for Huntingdon. Douglas finished with a double-double, adding 13 rebounds. Morgan Crawford had eight points, nine assists and six steals.

"There were several individual performances that I was proud of," Phillips said. "Tanjanik Munford came off the bench to give us a spark. Raven only had 11 points, but she had six rebounds and played a great floor game. Devin had a double-double and may have played the best game of her career. She kept us in the game in the first half."

Douglas scored nine points in the first half

Oglethorpe (2-8) hung with Huntingdon until midway through the second half. The Lady Petrels cut Huntingdon's lead to 32-31, four minutes into the second half, and only trailed by three points with 12:30 to play. But the Lady Hawks pulled away late, building as much as a 13-point lead to close out the game.