Sophomore Chloe Walker scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 45-13 road win in Ola over Two Rivers Tuesday night.
But early on it was Haylee Taylor inflicting the damage.
Taylor hit a pair of free throws – the Lady Bearcats were just 14-of-32 at the line for the game – with 40.1 seconds to play in the opening quarter to make it a double-digit lead at 11-1. Taylor had been responsible for 8 points.
After Two Rivers managed its only field goal of the first half a 12-0 run pushed the lead to one of 20.
A Makinley Ensey free throw started the run that included two baskets by Walker, both on assists from Emma Fox, 4 points from Raelynn Franklin, and Taylor’s third 3 of the night.
Taylor added a free throw before the break and would be done with 12 points.
Extending the lead to 28 in the third quarter, the Lady Bearcats (2-0) flirted with having the sportsmanship rule running clock for the final quarter.
Through three quarters Walker had reached 10 points and was just two rebounds of the double-double.
The Lady Bearcats leading scorer a year ago, Tempi Terry made her presence felt on defense with 7 steals.
Two Rivers 57 Bearcats 25
With Nick Widener, who had scored 22 points in the season opener, unavailable, the Bearcats struggled to score and fell to 1-1.
The Gators scored the first 25 points of the game before Nate Fowler finally broke the ice late in the opening quarter.
Fowler would score just once more but did pull down 9 rebounds.
The deficit was insurmountable by halftime but Reed Brackney scored 9 second half points to finish with 11 to go with 8 rebounds.
Both Braelon Lewis and Jaxon Harger hit fourth quarter 3s for their first career points.
Both teams next play on the opening night of the 13th annual Bearcat Classic on December 2 against Lamar.
WALKER'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADS LADY BEARCATS
