LADY BEARCATS TOP HOST OZARK IN BANK OZK CLASSIC

Baylee Parnell scored on an assist from Angie Brown 11 seconds into the game and the Booneville Lady Bearcats would lead wire to wire in a 42-31 first round win over tournament host Ozark in the Bank OZK Classic Thursday night.

A late fill in for a scratch the Lady Bearcats move on to the semifinals at 6 p.m. Friday against Atkins, a first round winner over County Line.

Until the final 11 seconds of the game the Lady Bearcats had done it without a double digit scorer.

Up 38-31 Lexi Franklin threw an outlet pass down court and, although Parnell was not able to connect, Linley Garret was there to put back the miss giving her 11 for the night and putting the game out of reach for the hosts.

Brown then intercepted the inbound pass and scored again to push the lead back to double digits at 42-31 to cap off a four steal and 10 point night.

With 1:06 to play in the first quarter the Lady Bearcats led 8-3 after a rebound and basket by Ciara Smith, who took over in the paint after Tempi Terry picked up her second foul midway through the quarter.

Hitting three times from three point land, Garrett was deadly in the second quarter allowing the Lady Bearcats to open as much as a 15-point lead.

The lead reached double digits for the first time at 13-3 on an inbound steal and layup basket from Brown (shown) with six minutes left in the half.

After watching for a quarter and a half, Terry returned to the floor in the third quarter and scored twice in a span of 38 seconds to give the Lady Bearcats a game best 16-point edge at 26-10.

Brown reset the lead at 16 with a basket at the 4:58 mark of the third quarter and would score five straight for her team on the way to a 31-17 lead through three quarters.

Ozark would eventually cut the lead to nine with a chance for further damage on a conventional three-point play opportunity, but a misfire on the free throw would be wrestled away by Parnell.

A Terry basket pushed the lead back to 11 with 2:33 left but Ozark was back within nine with 2:18 left before a driving score by Lexi Franklin pushed it back to 11 at 38-27 with 1:51 left.

Over the next minute Ozark got as close as they would at 38-31.