By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Watson Chapel stayed perfect in 5A-Southeast Conference play with a 47-24 road victory over Sylvan Hills Tuesday.
Lady Wildcats senior guard Brittney Gill dominated both ends of the court with 21 points, eight rebounds and five steals for game highs in each category. Watson Chapel (14-4, 5-0) held Sylvan Hills (7-9, 2-3) to single digits in every quarter except the third, when the Lady Bears tried to rally from a 26-10 halftime deficit.
Defensive pressure was key for Watson Chapel, which forced 26 turnovers.
“Believe me, I had to search for something good, but I was very pleased with our defensetwo games in a row,” Watson Chapel coach Leslie Byrd said. “That’s what helped us win the game. Otherwise, we do not win the game.”
Gill, who has drawn strong interest from the University of Texas-San Antonio and Arkansas State University, scored 13 points in the first half and helped the Lady ’Cats keep pressure on Lady Bears senior standout Ashley Johnson.
With Watson Chapel’s defensive sights set on Johnson, sophomore teammate Jalmedal Byrd stepped up with 10 points to lead Sylvan Hills. Byrd earned most of her points the hard way with drives into the lane against the bigger Lady Wildcats, and she went 4 for 6 at the free-throw line.
“That kid works hard,” Lady Bears coach Bee Rodden said of Byrd. “She has a great instinct to go to the basket, but she keeps her head down. After the first couple of times, they picked up on that and started blocking the lanes. She kept us in the ballgame.”
Byrd cut the lead to 35-24 with 5:49 left to play when she scored on an inbounds play, but just as the Lady Bears appeared to be gathering steam for a final run, Gill doused those hopes with a three-point basket that extended the margin to 14.
