By PATRICK CASEY
In a game that featured Walton’s inside attack against Freeport’s outside shooting the Bulldogs captured the win by running out the clock over the final two minutes of the game as the Braves failed to force a turnover or commit enough fouls to send the host squad to the free throw line in the final seconds.
Freeport built a 44-32 halftime lead as Megan O’Neal bombed away from outside by scoring all 25 of her points in the first half of play. Katie O’Neal pumped in 16 of her 22 points before intermission as the home team hit 14-of-36 shots from the field while forcing 13 turnovers in building the lead.
Walton chipped away on the inside as senior center Krista McQueen scored 19 points in the first 16 minutes of play before adding another eight points in the second half as she finished the night with 27. Teammate Deja Tucker added 14 points while Kayla Jackson completed the scoring for the inside attack with 12. Krystal Schipper was the only other Braves player to score in the game as she hit one of two shots from behind the arc for the visiting team on the night and finished with four points.
The Bulldogs got eight points from Laura Ham and four points from Theressa Johnson in a second half that saw Walton post a 25-15 scoring advantage.
The Braves finished the night by shooting 24-of-48 from the field and 7-of-10 at the free throw line but 17 turnovers proved costly in the comeback effort.
Katie O’Neal was hampered by foul trouble and sat out the third quarter as the Braves closed the gap but the senior guard returned in the fourth quarter and helped the Bulldogs use their speed and ball-handling skill to play keep-away for a good part of the final stanza. The strategy paid off as coach Mike Myrick’s squad moved to 5-0 on the year with the win.
Walton fell to 4-5 with the loss but is 2-0 in district play and hosts Marianna on Thursday night in a district contest with varsity game time set for 7 p.m.
Team Notes: Freeport has won the last two games in the series but Walton holds an 18-9 advantage in wins since the 1996-97 season. The two teams will meet in DeFuniak Springs on Jan. 20.
