Ladybugs are Mustang Stampede Champs
December 8, 2019
Waukomis – After dominating the first two rounds of the Mustang Stampede Tournament at Pioneer, the Ladybugs struggled against the Hooker Lady Bulldogs for the championship. It was only in the last three minutes of the game that Alva pulled ahead for a 57-47 final and the tournament trophy.
Coming off a 50-36 victory over Chisholm Tuesday, the Ladybugs beat Timberlake 65-18 Thursday at Pioneer. Friday afternoon, Alva faced Blackwell for a 62-37 win.
Saturday night as Hooker and Alva faced off, scoring was fairly even with the lead trading back and forth. Neither team managed more than a three point advantage, and the quarter ended in a 10-10 tie.
In the second quarter, Hooker scored seven unanswered points. Payton Jones made a free throw and a long three-pointer to cut Hooker’s lead to 19-14. The Lady Bulldogs scored a three and a free throw, but Chloe Durkee and Jones added free throws plus a Jones basket to narrow the Hooker lead to 23-18.
Disaster struck the Ladybugs as Jones stumbled and fell while making a run for a final score. As the teams headed for the locker room, Jones was bleeding from a cut lip after impacting the floor.
The Ladybugs started the second half without Jones but she soon joined them back on the court in a clean jersey with a new number. The teams traded baskets to start the quarter. Hooker pulled further ahead on a couple of free throws and a three for a 31-20 lead. Alva went for shots but couldn’t get the ball to fall through, gaining only three points on free throws.
The Lady Bulldogs sank another three, but Alva found some momentum on back-to-back threes from Acacia Charles and Jones. After Hooker failed on two shots from the free throw line, Durkee scored another three to end the quarter with Hooker ahead by only two at 34-32.
Well into the final period, the score was spread by no more than four points. After four points by Hooker, Lexie Rheim hit a trey and Brooke Perez scored a basket. Perez was fouled and made good on the extra point to tie the score at 38-38. Hooker scored a basket, but Jones added two free throws for Alva for a 40-40 tie.
Durkee stole the ball and went coast to coast for a basket. She was fouled during the shot and made the free throw to put Alva head by three. Then Hooker scored a three to tie and a two-point basket to pull ahead.
As the clock ticked, the scoreboard remained at 45-43 in Hooker’s favor. Both teams missed baskets and free throws. Finally Jones managed a three-pointer, and the Ladybugs led by one. Hooker answered with a basket to take the lead. Jones again found three-point range to put Alva up at 49-47. Rheim hit a basket for a 51-47 lead. Then Jones stole the ball and dropped in a nice layup. Alva now led 53-47. Ladybug Rianna Clark made her fifth foul as she fought for the ball and had to leave the floor.
Jones was tripped and blocked so went to the free throw line. She missed both attempts but Rheim rebounded and scored to put Alva up 55-47. Jones was fouled one more time, and this time she made both shots for the final of 57-47.
Jones led the Ladybugs in scoring with 28 along with five rebounds and a couple of assists. Durkee had 12 points and a couple of rebounds. Rheim scored 11 points with ten rebounds. Perez and Charles had three each.
The undefeated Ladybugs are now 4-0 for the season. They face Blackwell again Tuesday night in a 6:30 p.m. game at Alva High School.
Reader Comments(0)