LADY BEARCAT DEFENSE LEADS WAY

Despite having two starters sitting, the Booneville Lady Bearcats used a smothering defense that recorded 26 steals to dismantle the Two Rivers Gators, 60-29, in the opening round of the Booneville Invitational Tuesday.

Heaven Sanchez led the way with nine steals and Leigh Swint swiped the ball seven times. Lexi Franklin also had four steals.

Many of the steals led to easy baskets, but for the first four and a half minutes Two Rivers matched the Lady Bearcats (3-0) basket for basket as there were seven lead changes by the 3:22 mark of the opening quarter.

Layla Byrum, who drew a start, scored on one of Swint’s three first quarter assists to give the Lady Bearcats a 9-8 lead.

That started an 11-0 run to end the quarter and give the Lady Bearcats a double digit lead. Swint, Joleigh Tate, Sanchez, and Carah Miller all scored in the run.

A free throw interrupted the run but another six straight Lady Bearcat points made it a 15-point lead and the Lady Bearcats were well on their way to advancing to a Thursday game with Western Yell County.

Byrum started the second half scoring for the Lady Bearcats and had 10 points. Tate had six points in the third quarter and 10 in the second half to finish with 12.

Sanchez led the Lady Bearcats with 14 with Franklin and Swint (shown) both at eight points.