LADY BEARCATS KEEP ROLLING

Keeping their record spotless with a resounding 54-31 win Friday night the Booneville Lady Bearcats ruined Charleston’s homecoming night.

The Lady Bearcats (19-0, 9-0 Conference 3A-4) never trailed but did have a few tense moments with the Lady Tigers.

A Joleigh Tate free throw with 4:29 to play in the first half opened a 27-9 lead but the Lady Bearcats managed just one point the rest of the half.

Meanwhile Charleston was cutting into the Lady Bearcat advantage, eventually trimming it to 28-17.

A 3-pointer just 14 seconds into the second half had the lead back to a single digit for the first time since a Leigh Swint free throw with 1:39 left in the opening quarter had made it 15-5.

Following the 3 that made it 28-20 the Lady Bearcats ran off 11 points in just 2:44 and were in complete command again.

Heaven Sanchez started the run with a 3 and would score seven in the run, as well as assist the Swint basket that made it 39-20.

By the end of the third quarter the Lady Bearcats had doubled up the Lady Tigers at 50-25 as Sanchez scored twice more from the field.

Sanchez and Swint combined for 18 points in what would be a 22-point quarter. Sanchez was done for the night with 22 points and Swint had completed a 10 point game.

Hayley Roberts had a basket in the quarter giving her nine points in the game, including a five point sequence in the opening quarter that had pushed the lead to double figures for the first time at 12-2.

In the second quarter Carah Miller scored four points and Lexi Franklin (shown) drove in for a bucket before a Sanchez basket had made it 27-9.

A night earlier the Lady Bearcats had dominated Paris, 63-30 with Franklin punctuating the night with a halfcourt shot at the buzzer.

The Lady Bearcats had scored the first seven points of the night and were threatened only momentarily.

Paris got within 11-7 with 2:37 left in the first quarter but it was 17-7 by the end of the quarter and after a lady Eagle 3, a run that included six Miller points pushed it to 26-10.

The lead remained comfortable the rest of the way and was 44-24 after three quarters at which time Swint was done with 11 points.

Sanchez had done all of her team leading 14 points worth of damage in the first half.

A bench that has been piling up points of late continued to do so against the Lady Eagles. Karmen Kent, playing just her second game since starting the year on injured reserve, finished an eight point night and Linley Garrett, fresh off a 17-point outburst, scored nine fourth quarter points before Franklin’s heave into the goal.

Tonight the Lady Bearcats will travel to Waldron to make up a game postponed on January 11. They will travel to Danville tomorrow night and are set to host Hackett for homecoming on Friday.