By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

 

A battle against the visiting Autaugaville Eagles on Feb. 9 turned heated and physical in the second half, as the Isabella Mustangs picked up a lopsided 66-31 win in the championship game of the Class 1A Area 5 tournament.

The Mustangs got things started with a three from Hailey Underwood and a free throw from Synia Chattman; Isabella took an early four-point lead.

A pair of baskets from Sophia Underwood and Hailey Underwood extended the Mustangs’ lead to eight, while Chattman and Vivian Atchison made the lead 10.

With 38 seconds remaining in the first period, a basket from Emily Booth made the Isabella lead 11 and sent the game to the second period with the Mustangs leading 18-7.

Alexis Owens got things started for the Mustangs in the second period and a basket from Hailey Underwood grew the lead to 14.

With 2:50 to play in the period, consecutive baskets from Chattman brought the lead to 18 and aided in the Mustangs grabbing a commanding 33-15 lead to the half.

Sophia Underwood started the third with a three for the Mustangs and it was followed by a basket from Booth that gave Isabella a 22-point lead just over a minute into the third.

A technical foul called on an Eagle defender led to back-to-back technical fouls on the Autaugaville bench and greatly rose the tensions on the floor.

Unfazed by the change in pace, the Mustangs knocked down three straight 3-point baskets that only added fuel to the Isabella faithful and sent the game to the fourth with the Mustangs leading 51-19.

Fouls were the theme of the fourth period, as the teams reached the foul line 29 times during the final eight minutes, with the Mustangs taking the majority of those trips to the line.

With a commanding lead, and the Eagles determined to not allow an uncontested Isabella shot, the Mustangs won and clinched the area championship.

Chattman led the Mustangs with 21 points, three rebounds and six steals. Hailey Underwood added 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals and a block for Isabella.