The Madison County basketball team will finish November without having broken a sweat.
The Lady Raiders (3-0) won their third game in a row by 29 points or more, beating Cross Creek 73-36 Tuesday on the final night of Madison County’s own Northeast Georgia Shootout.
So has the competition been sub-par or are the Lady Raiders just that good?
“We’ll know at Salem,” said coach Dan Lampe, referring to his team’s Dec. 2 region opener. “When you go to Salem you get your moxie tested.”
No moxie needed Tuesday.
Kayla Freeman scored a season-high 14 points, all in the first half, as Madison County (3-0) clobbered Cross Creek by 37 points. Freeman would have likely scored much more but played sparingly after Madison County led 51-15 at the half.
The team has outscored its opponents 97-28 in the first half in its last two games.
“They’re coming out ready to play,” Lampe said.
The Lady Raiders and the Lady Razorbacks were actually tied 8-8 late in the first quarter, but Madison County reeled off nine-straight points to start what would be a long night for Cross Creek.
“It just opened up after that,” said Lampe, who moved to 28-7 overall as a head coach.
Kayla Freeman had her best game of the young season, scoring 10 points in the first quarter. Lampe said he not only talked to the sophomore post player about getting offensive boards, but scoring on them as well.
“I think she was our most active rebounder,” Lampe said.
Sister Courtney Freeman finished with 16 points to lead the Lady Raiders.
Madison County used a 35-4 run in the first half to build a 43-12 lead late in the second quarter. Both Lauren Smith and Molly Glaze hit two three-pointers each during that stretch as Madison County’s outside game continues to improve.
The Lady Raiders led by as much as 41 points in the second half.
Smith finished with four three pointers and 12 points.
Glaze, who came off the bench, scored 10.
Lampe said Madison County success from three-point land is a direct result of the Lady Raiders’ off-season work in the gym.
“I don’t know how many (three-pointers) we had last year,” he said. “It was probably less than 10. This year we’ve hit maybe 16.”
The Lady Raiders will now see if that three-point shooting holds up in region play. Madison County plays Salem Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the road.
Lampe describes the Lady Seminoles as a team with a good mix of posts and outside shooters.
“And they’re deep too,” he said.
Score-by-quarter
CCHS 8 7 11 10 -- 36
MCHS 17 34 15 7 -- 73
Scorers: C. Freeman 16, K. Freeman 14, Smith 12, Glaze 10, Peeples 7, Arnold 6, Whieldon 4, Skelton 4
