JUNIOR LADY BEARCATS SUFFER HEARTBREAKING LOSS

The Booneville Junior High Lady Bearcats suffered a heartbreaking 28-24 loss to Hector in a back-and-forth game in their home opener Thursday night.

Chloe Walker (shown) was responsible for her team’s first seven points and it was 7-3 but Hector was able to pull out to a 12-9 lead with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.

A Haylee Taylor 3 tied the game and a Raelynn Franklin free throw gave the Lady Bearcats a 13-12 lead after a quarter.

A Taylor 3 would account for all of the scoring in the second quarter and it was 16-12.

Hector was again shut out from the floor in the third quarter but the Lady Bearcats were able to extend their lead only to 21-13.

Taylor scored all five of the third quarter points for the Lady Bearcats and would finish with 15.

Although they managed just their first field goal since the first quarter the Lady Wildcats would tie it eventually tie it at 22 by making 7-of-12 free throws.

Hector then got hot from the floor, scoring three times over the final 1:01. Taylor was able to offset the first basket with one of her own to tie it at 24.

The Lady Bearcats (0-3) were down 26-24 and had the ball but suffered a turnover that turned into a layup to set the final.

Boys

The Junior High Bearcats (1-2) trimmed a 13-point deficit to six with three fourth quarter 3s but were unable to complete the comeback in a 36-26 loss.

The game was scoreless for over three and a half minutes before Hector drew first blood, but a Reed Brackney free throw and a basket by Nick Widener gave the Bearcats the lead at 3-2.

Hector would score the next nine points and led the rest of the way.

Dakota Fonseca scoree six second quarter points to keep the Bearcats within striking distance at 17-12.

A Tayden Washburn basket and another by Brackney on an assist from Washburn had the Bearcats within 19-16 and a Brackney free throw again cut it to three at 20-17 with 1:19 to go in the third quarter.

But Hector would then go on a 10-0 run and led 30-17 with 4:53 to play. But after Hayden Daniel, Widener, and Washburn all hit 3s and it was 32-26 with 2:30 left.

The Bearcats, however, would not score again and Hector was able to stretch the lead back to 10.

The junior high teams will not play again until next Thursday when they start a four game set at Atkins.