A 32-point performance by Beaumont United junior guard Princess Anderson led the Lady Timberwolves to a 72-38 win Tuesday night against the Barbers Hill Lady Eagles (12-9, 5-1).
A 24-10 run in the second quarter by the undefeated Lady Timberwolves (8-0, 4-0) put the game out of reach .
Anderson displayed her ability to score in a multitude of ways with 16 points in the second quarter. She finished the second quarter 6-for-8 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and was the catalyst to the Timberwolves’ 37-point lead going into the half.
“Princess’ action spurs a lot of what we do,” United girls basketball head coach Tammy Walker-Brown said. “The ferocity she has to score and she’s just as tenacious on defense is what we need from her.”
The Lady Timberwolves entered Tuesday’s district contest against the Eagles having only played one game in the last two weeks — a Dec. 30, 2020 game against Port Neches-Groves, according to Walker-Brown. The team’s schedule has been interrupted by close-contact quarantines and positive coronavirus tests this season.
The lack of recent games for United was evident early in the opening quarter as the Timberwolves struggled to take care of the ball and were unable to knock down open shots. Both teams combined for 14 first-quarter turnovers.
“It was a lull,” Walker-Brown said of her team’s lackluster first quarter. “We haven’t played for a while and we haven’t been active on the floor. You expect the lull at the beginning and you just hope your girls are disciplined enough at the beginning (of the game).”
For United, the turnovers came mostly from careless passes in their half-court offense. Barbers Hills’ eight first-quarter turnovers came from United’s unrelenting sideline traps and full-court pressure.
United held a slim 10-5 lead with three minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Timberwolves held the Eagles to just one made field goal in the entire first quarter. United closed the final 2:35 of the first period on an 11-3 run on the back of junior guard Jazmyn Sostand’s seven points which gave United a 21-8 lead after one quarter.
The late first-quarter run sparked an 11-0 United run at the start of the second quarter. Anderson shot 60% from three-point range in the second quarter which sparked United's 24-point second quarter.
United’s suffocating defense continued into the second quarter as they forced another six turnovers and 14 for the half which led to a slew of easy transition points.
“It’s reassuring and (the defense) has been a part of our program,” Walker-Brown said. “No matter where the game is or the time of day, your defense can be your offense.”
The Lady Timberwolves outscored the Lady Eagles 27-20 in the second half and didn’t allow the Eagles back in the game.
United will travel to Galena Park on Friday for their next game.
United Boys game canceled
The Beaumont United boys basketball district game at Barbers Hill was canceled due to a United player who was potentially exposed to an individual with COVID-19, according to a Beaumont Independent School District press release.
“An announcement regarding the reschedule date will be forthcoming,” Beaumont ISD officials said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “. In accordance with UIL guidelines, Beaumont ISD has implemented rigorous health screening, social distancing and sanitation practices for all student workouts, including screening of staff and student symptoms, cleaning of all objects between each student’s use, and limited sharing of equipment.”
The No. 2 Timberwolves (15-0, 3-0) are undefeated and recently played a rescheduled game on Jan. 9 with Port Neches-Groves after PN-G had a positive case of its own on Dec. 31, 2020.
jorge.ramos@beaumontenterprise.com