59°F
weather icon Clear

Legacy 3-point binge makes scoreboard spin

The score goes up quickly when you count by threes.

Legacy’s girls basketball team learned that in the second quarter Tuesday. The Longhorns made four 3-pointers in a two-minute span as part of a 16-0 run to pull away from host Shadow Ridge and eventually win 59-47.

“We probably played the best we played all season in two or three minutes,” Legacy coach Tiffany Richardson said. “That’s how you do it in practice, and you hope it works out, and it worked out for us.”

Junior Taeha Pankey and sophomore Rory Carter were the sharpshooters for Legacy (18-4, 5-2 Northwest League). With the Longhorns trailing 14-10, Panker’s 3-pointer ignited the run. She swished another from far behind the arc, Carter followed with two 3s and the Longhorns suddenly led 26-14.

Pankey and Carter combined for 40 points and all eight Legacy 3-pointers. Pankey hit five 3s among her 23 points and Carter supplied three 3s and 17 points.

“We were both hot, so we had to keep hitting it,” Pankey said.

Senior Alexa Martins led Shadow Ridge (8-7, 3-5) with 12 points, and sophomore Caitlyn Covington scored 11, most coming in the fourth quarter after Legacy entered with a 17-point lead.

The Longhorns’ shooting surge followed a slow start. Shadow Ridge scored the first two buckets and held the Longhorns scoreless until there was 4:34 left in the first quarter. Once senior Skylar Bradley got Legacy on the board, Pankey and Carter each quickly followed with a 3-pointer. That was an omen of what was to come.

“I think they thought they were going to get us in the first half because we weren’t scoring,” Pankey said. “Then we started picking it up, and we got back.”

Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2944. Follow @J15Emerson on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
4A/3A girls state roundup: Legacy, Canyon Springs ousted

Legacy and Canyon Springs couldn’t keep up in the Class 4A girls basketball state semifinals. The Southern Region representatives in 3A also were eliminated.