By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer

Ellington knocked out Naylor's Hailee Deckard for a brief time Saturday, but although she bent, Deckard did not break.

Deckard left the game after being hit in the nose with an inadvertent elbow with 3:56 remaining, but returned 22 seconds later and continued her leading performance for the Lady Eagles, who won 55-28.

"Without Hailee we would have struggled," Naylor coach Stephana Deckard said.

Deckard scored a game-high 22 points, including a 6-for-9 mark at the free throw line.

Cheyenne Hollowell also had a big day for the Lady Eagles, pouring in 19 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 day at the line.

With the Lady Whippets unable to find their shooting touch, the Lady Eagles pounded the ball inside to Hailee Deckard on their end of the floor and limited second chances for the Lady Whippets.

"Our shots were not falling, and we didn't rebound very well," said Lady Whippets head coach Paula King.

The Lady Whippets stayed in the game early on by getting to the free throw line, but settled for jumpers that would not fall. They also handled the ball carelessly, turning it over nine times before halftime to the Lady Eagles' three.

Although they struggled in the first half, the Lady Whippets found themselves within eight points at the break, 24-16.

"We were surprised to be down only eight," King said.

With the Lady Whippets cold from the floor, Naylor began to pull away in the third quarter. The Lady Eagles repeatedly drove to the basket, putting the pressure on the Ellington defense to make stops and getting them into foul trouble.

Once the Lady Eagles got to the line, they converted on their opportunities. Cheyenne Hollowell sank a free throw after converting a layup to complete a 3-point play with 4:05 remaining in the quarter to give the Lady Eagles a 14-point lead at 34-20.

"I was impressed with Cheyenne today," Deckard said. "She wasn't feeling well, but she gave us a good game."

The run that put the Lady Eagles comfortably ahead came about quietly in the third quarter as both teams missed jumper after jumper. The difference between the two teams came in the fact that the Lady Whippets had no one to turn to in the post and had little answer for Deckard on defense.

"Rachel (Roberts) got some good looks," King said. "They just woudn't go in for her."

Shelton and Roberts led the Lady Whippets with eight points each.

The Lady Eagles played their best when they penetrated and threw the ball inside. Whenever the Lady Whippet defense closed in around Deckard inside and forced the ball to the perimeter, the Lady Eagles failed to adjust and missed several long jumpers.

"We couldn't make 3's at all," Deckard said. "That affected the game quite a bit."

Although they couldn't find the mark from the floor, the Lady Whippets got to the line four times in the first half and committed only two fouls themselves.