SWINT, LADY BEARCATS CRUISE IN CONFERENCE OPENER

Playing their only game in a 27-day span the Booneville Lady Bearcats dominated Charleston 62-31, winning their fourth straight and opening conference play with a win.

Four Lady Bearcats scored in double figures with Leigh Swint’s 20 leading the way. Karmen Kent and Lexi Franklin both scored 12 and Carah Miller added 11.

There were seven lead changes in the first quarter of the Lady Bearcats game with Charleston Monday night. The seventh one, which came on a basket by Swint, would be the last of the night.

Swint (shown) made it 12-11 on an assist from Layla Byrum, who had four assists in the first quarter and six in the game, and Miller scored on another Byrum feed to make it 14-11.

Charleston got within a point with a buzzer beater but the Lady Bearcats started the second quarter by scoring six straight points and, after the Lady Tigers cut it to 21-15, they scored 12 unanswered to lead 33-15 at the half.

At the half Swint had accounted for 15 points.

The Lady Bearcat lead rached 21 on a Franklin basket less than three minutes into the second half.

That started a streak of six straight Franklin, which was followed by consecutive baskets by Kent, and back-to-back scores from the free throw and three point lines from Miller.

The lead grew throughout the quarter and was 28 at 55-27 when Swint scored what would be her final points just before the third quarter ended.

Swint had nine rebounds, five steals, and four assists to go with her 20 points.

A JJ Keatts basket enacted the sportsmanship rule with 4:36 to play and the remaining Lady Bearcat points came on a 3 by Roni Tillery and a basket by Angie Brown.

Boys

Jace Washburn, playing his first game of the season, scored the first points of the night for the Bearcats with a basket that touched off the annual Ethan Napier toy toss and delayed play momentarily.

The Washburn basket gave the Bearcats a 2-1 lead but Charleston scored on its next possession and never trailed again on the way to a 56-28 win.

The Tigers were up double digits before Raiden Ferguson cut it back to nine with a 3, but it would get no closer.

Colter Fisher scored six second quarter points and Ferguson had five in the third quarter.

Fisher finished with a team high nine, Ferguson scored eight, and Washburn would close the Bearcat scoring on the night and finished with six.

The Bearcats and Lady Bearcats do not play through the remainder of the Christmas break and will return to the floor on January 6 against Paris at Bearcat Gym.