Danville’s Jordan Hinkle. | Caleb Suggs

Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

The Danville Lady Hawks were hoping to take a closer step to a finals berth when they took on the Holly Pond Broncos in the Lady Hawk’s thanksgiving classic.

Holly Pond opened with a 5-2 lead but a three pointer by McKayla Stover tied the game at five. Holly Pond pushed the lead to 10-7 but Callie Ryan cut it to 10-9 with a chance to tie the game. Ryan missed the free throw but the Hawks got the rebound. Danville squandered two opportunities to score when they missed that shot and then missed the shot off a Jordan Hinkle steal. Holly Pond kept the lead at the end of the first quarter 13-12.

Danville played catch up for most of the second quarter. Brooklyn Thomas and Kayla Compton each nailed three pointers while Emma Broadfoot and Madalyn Holladay each had baskets. A basket from McKayla Stover tied the game at halftime 26-26.

Holly Pond rushed out to a 33-26 lead in the second half while their defense stifled the Hawks offense. Danville didn’t muster a single point until the 3:50 mark of the quarter. However, a big basket from Jolee Cole cut the Bronco’s lead to 37-30 and then Broadfoot nailed a buzzer beating three pointer to cut the lead to 37-33 at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Danville turned to Jordan Hinkle to get them back in the game. Hinkle reeled off three steals and eight points to make the game 47-44. Callie Ryan added four points to trim the lead to 47-46 and 49-48 and then Cole added a huge basket to take the lead 50-49 with 25 second left in the game. Compton and Hinkle would each add two free throws to ice the game as Danville completed the comeback win 54-49.

Player of the game: Jordan Hinkle. Hinkle’s three steals and 10 points in the fourth were crucial for the Hawks comeback. Danville struggled on offense in the second half before her outburst of points.