Love paces Lady Cougars’ win over Union girls

Junior guard Makala Love, who was an all-region selection last year, scored 26 points to lead the York Comprehensive High School girls’ basketball team to a 63-38 win over Union County Monday night in Yellow Jacket Country.

Love was virtually unstoppable off the penetration dribble to the hoop, often the recipient of pinpoint passing from her teammates.

After the Lady Cougars moved ahead 16-11 in the first quarter, a Union basket sliced the lead to 16-13.

Love drove the lane to push York ahead 18-13. Akiesha McClure, the second leading scorer with 13 points, scored and converted a free throw for a 21-13 York lead.

A basket by 6-1 post player Sara Morris, followed by Natalee Graham’s three-pointer, extended the lead to 26-15.

Love scored three baskets in the final three minutes of the second quarter and the Lady Cougars were up 35-22.

The YCHS girls expanded the lead to 50-30 in the third quarter and coasted to the win from that point.

Head coach Marilyn Milton alluded to the team’s slow start after the game.

“I think we were a little lackadaisical on defense in the first half,” she said. “In the second half, we tried to speed the game up. We kind of took over the game and got back to the way we play.”

Milton was pleased with how the YCHS girls responded in the second half.

“We did a good job and came out with the win,” she said. “We’ll continue to work on the things we need to clean up.”

Milton said the coaches told Love to take the ball to the basket. “She did a good job of creating and getting to the basket,” said Milton.

Love was all smiles after the game.

“My teammates told me if I got an open shot to take it,” said Love. “They helped me, getting the ball to me. When they cleared out, I had an advantage.”

In Friday’s action at Chester, the Lady Cougars were beaten 66-61 in an exciting game.

Graham found her shooting rhythm and scored 15 first- half points as the YCHS girls led 20-11 at the end of the first quarter and 32-29 at the break.

Several York players got into foul trouble in the second half, including Graham, who finished with 18 points.

There was plenty of drama in the final stages of the game.

With the Lady Cougars trailing 58-57 with two minutes left in the game, power forward Heather Pumphrey converted two clutch free throws to give York a 59-58 lead.

Bu Chester pulled away in the final seconds for the win.

“Throughout the game, we played very well,” Milton said after the game. “We had a lot of careless turnovers in the second half that allowed them to bet back into the game. There were a lot of shots that were uncontested.”

Added Milton: “All in all, I think our team played a very good game. It was very nice to see both teams play well. When we pushed the ball, we had control of the game. When we made the right passes and the right decisions, we had good results.”

The Lady Cougars play at Spartanburg Christian Academy at 6 p.m. Thursday at 6 p.m. and host Chester at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 10:28 AM with the headline "Love paces Lady Cougars’ win over Union girls."