SALTVILLE, Va. – What was this?
Honaker High School’s girls basketball team in a tight game in the fourth quarter?
Yep, it finally happened on Friday night.
It wasn’t that the Tigers haven’t played close games that came down to the wire this season, it’s just that it had been a while. A couple of months, in fact.
They responded to the challenge, however, and made pivotal plays down the stretch to record a 43-34 victory over Rural Retreat in the finals of the Hogoheegee District tournament at Northwood High School.
Junior post player Alayna McNulty scored her 1,000th career point in the victory as Honaker (21-3) added the tourney title to its regular-season league championship.
“I was glad the girls kept composure, took care of business at the end and got the win,” said Honaker coach Misty Davis Miller.
RURAL RETREAT (34) – Davidson 4 0-0 10, Fiscus 2 0-0 5, Cox 3 1-2 9, Crigger 4 0-0 8, Crouse 0 0-0 0, Musser 0 0-0 0, Moore 1 0-0 2, Irvin 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 1-2 34.
HONAKER (43) – Jessee 3 1-2 7, McNulty 6 5-8 17, Nolley 5 4-6 15, Miller 1 0-2 2, Ray 0 0-0 0, Keene 1 0-0 2, Farmer 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 10-18 43.
Rural Retreat 4 10 11 9—34
Honaker 11 10 11 11—43
3-point goals – RR 5 (Davidson 2, Cox 2, Fiscus), Honaker 1 (Nolley). Total fouls – RR 16, Honaker 7. Fouled out – none. Technicals – none.
Alayna McNulty scores her 1000th point. (L-R) Steven McNulty, Alayna McNulty, and Misty Miller. Photo Credit: Anthony Stevens, The Lebanon News