LADY BEARCATS GET CONFERENCE WIN IN PARIS

The Booneville Lady Bearcats were able to fend off a comeback attempt in a 53-47 win in Paris Friday night but could not preserve a narrow fourth quarter lead on Saturday.

Friday night, after a Linley Garrett 3 got things started, it was the sophomore and senior duo of Tempi Terry and Lexi Franklin that fueled the Lady Bearcats to a huge first half lead of 33-11.

Terry scored seven first quarter points and had 13 at the half while Franklin had nine of her 11 first half points in the second quarter.

A 3 by Franklin gave her the first nine second quarter points for the Lady Bearcats and pushed the lead to double digits, where it would stay until the final quarter.

Interrupted only by an Anna Ferguson basket, Terry scored six of the next eight for the visitors and Garrett’s second 3 closed the half and made it a 22 point edge.

Baylee Parnell (shown) joined the scoring party in the third quarter adding a pair of baskets which, combined with a couple from Terry and two free throws from Franklin made 43-15 with 2:52 to go in the third quarter.

Then things started to get dicey.

Paris was within 43-23 by the end of the quarter, had the advantage down to 15 with 4:34 to go and had crawled within 10 at 45-35 with 3:33 left.

Ferguson stopped what was then a 20-2 run with a pair of free throws with 3:20 to go and a Franklin basket made it a 14-point cushion again at the 2:26 mark.

In just 1:24 the lead was down to seven at 49-42.

A single free throw by Terry made it an eight point lead and after Paris got within six one by Garrett made it a three possession game at 51-44 with 14.7 seconds to play.

Paris’ fifth three since trailing by 28 cut it to four with seven seconds to go but Franklin put in two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to end it.

Saturday night there were six first half lead changes, and four more in the second half, with the final one swinging the lead to Cedarville in overtime and the Lady Pirates never gave it back, handing the Lady Bearcats a 48-42 loss.

The loss spoiled a 20 point performance from Franklin, as well as a 12 rebound night by Parnell.

Until the six point final margin the largest lead had been one of five points by the Lady Bearcats on three occasions in the fourth quarter.

Angie Brown hit a pair of free throws with 1:19 to play in the first quarter that tied the game at 9-9 and she had a conventional three point play to give the Lady Bearcats a 12-10 lead.

A Terry basket made it 14-10 but the Lady Bearcats would not score for over five and a half minutes and Cedarville pulled out to a 17-14 lead.

A Ciara Smith free throw cut it to two before halftime to start a 7-0 run that allowed the Lady Bearcats to keep the lead through much of the third quarter.

Cedarville eventually pulled even for the third time at 25 but a Franklin free throw would be the difference through three quarters.

Franklin scored twice in a span of 32 seconds to open a five point lead and she fed Parnell for a basket with 5:33 left that again made five at 32-27.

It was again five when Garrett hit a 3 for a 36-31 lead but the Lady Pirates scored the next five to tie it again.

Free throws by Terry and Franklin gave the Lady Bearcats the lead until a 3 with 16 seconds to go tied it at 41.

Cedarville went in front with two free throws with 2:23 to play in overtime and would score six straight to take the win.

Terry’s ninth point of the night would be all the scoring in the overtime period for the Lady Bearcats.

The Lady Bearcats are next in action on Tuesday at Two Rivers.