By Erik Harris
CLAY — The Clay-Chalkville varsity girls basketball team continued its hot streak by handing Hoover (5-1) its first loss of the season, 53-45, on Monday.
“We were very happy to get the win,” said Clay-Chalkville head coach Justin Haynie. “I am extremely proud of all 10 girls on the team.”
After falling in the season opener to Class 7A Jeff Davis, the Lady Cougars have rolled out five straight wins.
Clay-Chalkville (5-1) got offensive production all over the floor Monday night. Kristian Hudson led the way with 12 points and got plenty of help from her teammates.
Daffany Lewis pitched in with 11 points, T.J. Thomas finished with 10, Raven Omar added nine and Jasmine Battle posted an eight-point evening.
Hoover’s Velencia Johnson led all scorers with 16, while pulling down eight rebounds.
The Lady Cougars built an early lead, but Johnson and the Bucs made a push that was stopped by Clay-Chalkville’s timely free throw shooting. Haynie’s girls made 10-of-12 from the stripe over the final eight minutes of play.
“We knew Hoover would be a big challenge, they were undefeated and had won the tip-off tournament,” Haynie said. “The game was close throughout, and we knew that Hoover would make a run, and they did.”
Now the Lady Cougars will take a breather before a three-game road stretch that starts next Monday night at Homewood.