Howe 60, Bells 33

By Jack Walker

Staff Writer

The Lady Bulldogs broke out of an offensive slump that had extended through two games to bust the Bells Lady Panthers

60-33 in Bells on Tuesday night as all ten players scored in the contest.

Bells (1-9) hung with the visitors through the first quarter, but from then on it was all Howe and all the time.

After Ashley Davis broke even on four attempts from the free-throw line, Katie Pelzel got nothing but net on a three-ball from the right corner as the Lady Bulldogs battled back from an early Bells lead.

Lauren Moore, who finished the game with 17 points, got seven in the first quarter to stake the Lady Panthers to an early lead.

Gretchen Debner put back an offensive rebound, followed by another stick back by Morgan Bailey to pull the teams even at 11-11. A Paige Potter bucket and an old-school three-point play by Davis gave Howe a 14-13 lead at the end of one and they never trailed again.

Potter scored a deuce to open the second quarter offense and after Hannah Scoggins had scored for Bells, the Lady Bulldogs were off to the races. Debner sank a short jumper from the left corner and Emily Taylor got dribble penetration into the lane to knock down a bucket. Those plays started a 13-0 run for Howe that featured three-point shots by Maddie Potter and Pelzel. The visitors had a 33-19 lead at the intermission.

No halftime surprises on this night as Paige and Maddie Potter keyed the Howe offense in a 12-4 run in the third period. Paige Potter's three-pointer helped her emerge from a horrendous shooting slump that had lasted through the previous two games. Maddie Potter scored on an inside play then drained a three-ball from the top of the arc on an in-bounds play.

Katy Courtney got in the books in the fourth quarter, hitting a pair of shots to start the offense. Briana Slawson took a nice dish from Paige Potter and banked home a bucket, then followed with another from in close. The final Howe points came from the free-throw line as the Lady Bulldogs coasted home with the 27-point win.

Howe entertains Leonard tonight in a must win game as they chase one of the final playoff spots from District 11-2A.

Howe 14 19 12 15-60

Bells 13 6 4 10-33

H: Maddie Potter 11, Paige Potter 9, Katie Pelzel 8, Gretchen Debner 7, Ashley Davis 7, Katy Courtney 6, Briana Slawson 4, Emily Taylor 4, Morgan England 2, Morgan Bailey 2.