Valley Sports ReportJOHNSON CITY — Athens got off to a slow start and never recovered in a 49-33 season-opening setback to Johnson City here Wednesday night in non-league girls basketball action.
Antona Monico knocked down a 3-pointer for Johnson City to cap a 17-2 first quarter blitz. Sophomore McKenna Jarvis scored Athens' lone bucket in the opening stanza.
Athens righted the ship a bit in the second quarter with Jarvis and sophomore Alissa Vough scoring three points apiece in an 8-7 spurt that closed the gap to 24-10 at the halftime break.
JC put the game away with an 11-5 third-quarter run that stretched the advantage to 35-15 heading into the final eight minutes.
Jarvis scored seven points, including a 3-pointer, and Vough added four I the fourth quarter as the Wildcats closed the game with an 18-14 spurt.
Jarvis led Athens with 12 points and four steals, while sophomore Allison Kemp had eight points, and Vough added seven points and four rebounds.
Senior Ava Hughes added four points for the Wildcats, and junior Brielle Mayo and Megan Morgan chipped in with four rebounds apiece.
Aliya Hankey led Athens with 17 points, while Makenzie Lombardini had 15 points, and Monico added 11 points.
Athens returns to action Friday at the Central Mountain Tip-Off Tournament.
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IN PHOTO: Athens junior McKenna Jarvis. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.
