Landrum’s varsity women needed this victory.  They stormed ahead of visiting Blacksburg, 11-1, early in the first quarter, and seemed on a pace to blow their opponents right out of the gym. However, the visiting Wildcats clawed back, with the Cardinals surging late to take a 74-63 region basketball win at Landrum on evening Tuesday, Jan. 23.

Lindsey Hardin’s deadly shooting (a game-leading 33 points, including four threes, and clutch foul shooting late in the game) helped preserve the win that took the Cards to 15-3 overall, and 4-1 in the region.

Sarah Price (18 points) and Ellen Boatwright (12) added double figures for the winners.

Blacksburg slipped to 12-3 and 3-1, respectively. On Feb. 8, the Cardinals visit Blacksburg for a re-match.

After the first quarter, Landrum earned a 19-13 lead, as Hardin popped a two-pointer just ahead of the buzzer. As hard as the Wildcats fought, the Cardinals outscored them in each quarter, except the fourth, and that was only by a single point.

“We made the shots when we needed to,” Landrum head coach Deon Brice noted in a point of understatement. He was especially proud of his team’s outstanding showing at the free stripe late in the game. “We work on free throws every day,” he remarked. He said such practice includes times when players are tired, as that’s when crucial situations often present themselves.

Whenever the Wildcats threatened to overtake their hosts, the Cardinals found the hoop.

“That was our game plan,” Brice continued— “beat them to the punch. Luckily, we kept our composure.” Brice said that composure is a product of “maturity.”

This Friday the Cardinals visit Chesnee. On Jan. 30, they visit St. Joseph’s Catholic. On Monday, Jan. 22 the Cards smothered Greer Middle College High School, 58-27, with Hardin (16 points) and Price (14) setting the pace.