PAUL LUNSFORD

Contributing writer

Pineville improved to 6-1 on the season with road wins at Clay County on Tuesday and Thomas Walker (Va.) on Monday.

The Lady Lions, winners of six straight games, fell behind Clay County 20-18 after one quarter to roar back and defeat the Lady Tigers 63-43.

Clay County nailed six 3-pointers in the first period but were held to no field goals in the second quarter as the Lady Tigers only had three free throws.

Sophomore Ava Arnett scored eight points in the opening quarter and Nadine Johnson added six points.

Johnson tossed in six points in the second frame to help Pineville take a 33-23 advantage at halftime.

Johnson scored eight in the third quarter as the Lady Lions took a 46-31 lead.

Senior Abby Jackson finished the fourth period with three baskets while Johnson and Rachel Howard had two apiece as Pineville outscored Clay 17-12 in the quarter.

Johnson, a junior guard, fired in a game-high 26 points for the Lady Lions. Arnett followed with 11 and Jackson scored 10. Howard tossed in nine points while Kamryn Biliter added five. Malley Smith had two.

The Lady Lions hit nine of 11 free throws in the game.

Clay County was led in scoring by senior forward Mackenzie Sizemore and senior guard Jaylen Combs with 12 points apiece. Junior guard Sidney Jones added nine and Lauryn Sizemore, a freshman guard, scored eight.

Pineville traveled to Harlan County (5-2) on Friday.

The Lady Lions visit Gatlinburg-Pittman (Tenn.) beginning Tuesday in the Smoky Mountain Classic Classic.

Clay County (3-3) visited Jackson County on Thursday and Breathitt County on Friday. The Lady Tigers will travel to Middlesboro on Tuesday.

Pineville 62

Thomas Walker 34

Pineville jumped out to a 25-12 first-quarter lead at Thomas Walker and left Virginia with a 62-34 victory.

The Lady Lions placed four starters in double figures for the game as Johnson led the way with 22 points. Jackson scored 14 while Arnett and Howard each added 10.

Pineville also got two points apiece from Biliter, Smith and Baleigh Bargo.

Madi Marcum paced the 1-6 Lady Pioneers with nine points. Kalli Woods tossed in eight and Chloe Marcum scored six.

Jackson and Johnson each poured in eight points in the opening quarter for Pineville.

Arnett had all 10 of her points in the second period as the Lady Lions went into the break leading 45-22.

Johnson and Jackson had a pair of baskets in the third quarter as Pineville pushed the lead to 56-29.

Thomas Walker was scheduled to host Lee (Va.) on Thursday before traveling to Lynn Camp (1-4) on Saturday.