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Scotchel Nets 1,000th Point As Hawks Overpower Bucs: University High Senior Scores 24 to Lead Team in Victory

Posted on: Wednesday, 11 January 2006, 09:00 CST

By Justin Jackson, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

Jan. 11--The picture is a reoccurring one for University High girls' basketball standout Angela Scotchel. The opposing team brings the ball up the floor, as Scotchel patiently waits. As soon as the team breaks the halfcourt line, Scotchel applies heavy pressure, gets a steal and races down the court for a layup, or at least gets fouled on the play. Maybe it's happened 1,000 times for Scotchel, and the number 1,000 was big for the senior on Tuesday night. Scotchel scored 24 points to lead No. 3 University to a 74-35 victory against Buckhannon-Upshur, at the UHS gymnasium. The scoring output gave Scotchel more than 1,000 points for her career -- she now has 1,008. The 1,000-point play was typical Scotchel. She pounced on B-U point guard Channing Hyre at midcourt and Hyre threw an errant pass that was deflected by University's Allene Walker and landed right in Scotchel's hands.

Scotchel raced down the court and was fouled. She made both free throws at the 4:52 mark of the fourth quarter for her 999th and 1,000th career points.

It's a scene seen many times through the years from Scotchel, who will play for Fairmont State next season. "Kind of ironic, isn't it?" UHS coach Kamela Meikle said. "She's scored a bunch that way or from her own steals. It's definitely a nice milestone for her and it's quite an accomplishment."

The entire gymnasium, well aware that Scotchel needed both free throws, was at a complete hush as she shot and made both attempts. "That didn't really add any extra pressure," said Scotchel, who was 6-for-8 from the line in the game. "What added pressure for me was that I had missed two in the first half. I didn't want to miss any more." Play was stopped and Scotchel, who also had nine rebounds and five steals in the game, was handed the game ball following the two free throws. "It feels pretty good. I really wanted to do it at home," Scotchel said. So much so that Scotchel admits to letting up a little late in the Hawks' previous two games -- both on the road. "I wouldn't say I quit playing, but I took it easy a little," Scotchel said. It appeared the moment would have to wait another day during the third quarter, though. UHS (8-1) led, 37-14, at halftime, but came out slow in the third, as B-U (2-7) outscored the Hawks, 16-8. All five UHS starters were yanked midway through the quarter and Scotchel was stuck on 10 points -- six shy of what she needed. "I told them at halftime what I wanted to see," Meikle said. "They didn't do it, so they got to watch for five minutes.""Sometimes we come out and play soft," Scotchel added. "Coach gets mad at that. When she sits us all down like that, we try to encourage each other, because we all know we can play better." The starters all came back out for the start of the fourth quarter and quickly erased any doubts. Scotchel picked up a couple of steals right off the bat and Tarenna Dixon started to score in the post, as Walker also excelled in the Hawks' open-floor game.

Scotchel scored 14 points in the fourth quarter. Walker finished the game with 16 points and Dixon had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Kayla Strimel added 12 rebounds for UHS.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

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Source: The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.)

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