LADY BEARCATS TAKE DOWN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ON WAY TO FOUR SEED

Cossatot River was assured of the top seed in next week’s district tournament but will enter that tournament coming off a loss.

That’s because the Booneville Lady Bearcats handed the Lady Eagles a 32-22 loss in Bearcat Gym Friday night.

Then in a place to lay claim to the four seed in the Conference 3A-1 tournament, the Lady Bearcats scored the final nine points of the night to complete a season sweep of Paris with a 54-46 win on
Saturday night.

The four seed has a first round bye and will play at 4 p.m. Tuesday against the winner of Monday’s game between fifth seeded Cedarville and eight seeded Danville.

Cossatot River

Offense was at a premium throughout the game with the first basket not occurring for almost four minutes, it by Cossatot River to tie the game at 2-2.

The Lady Bearcats had drawn first blood on a pair of free throws by JJ Keatts who had been knocked into the scorer’s table after a steal.

The first Lady Bearcat field goal was a Lexi Franklin 3. Linley Garrett would open the second quarter scoring with another 3 and the Lady Bearcats were in front 8-6.

A second 3 by Garrett induced a time out.

When Ciara Smith muscled her way back up to put in a rebound it was 13-8 with 2:21 left in the first half and all four seniors, who had also all started the game, had logged points on senior night.

A conventional three-point play by Franklin and another free throw had the Lady Bearcats up 17-12 at the half.

Baskets by Franklin and Angie Brown started the second half scoring and the Lady Bearcats were up nine.

Cossatot made a run over the next three minutes to get it to 21-18 before Garrett’s third three pushed it back to six at 24-18 going to the fourth quarter.

Garrett’s fourth 3 made it an 8-0 run and a 29-18 lead with 5:50 remaining in the game.

Cossatot, who did not have a single 3, got it back to nine only to have Garrett hit a fifth 3 and make it 32-20.

Paris

Fresh off a win at Cedarville Friday night Paris was looking to throw the standings into a three-way tie for fourth place.

The game would be close throughout with the teams being separated by no more that the six points until the Lady Bearcats' final margin of 54-46.

The final basket, a driving layup by Lexi Franklin capped off a 19 point, eight rebound, 10 assist night for the senior.

It was the final of those assists to Tempi Terry (shown) that gave the Lady Bearcats a 47-46 lead – the 14th lead change of the game – with 1:39 to play.

A steal by Franklin led to a foul and although she missed two free throws Terry got the rebound and was also fouled. Terry hit both free throws and it was 49-46 with 1:10 left.

Another foul sent Franklin back to the line and she hit one to make it a two possession game with 43 seconds to go and, when Paris was unable to score and had to foul again, Franklin converted both for a 52-46 lead with 22.9 seconds remaining.

She added the final basket to make it an eight point difference.

It was Terry who dominated the game early on scoring six of what would be her game high 21 points in a span of 1:20 with the third basket tying the game at 10.

Paris led 13-10 going to the second quarter and would eventually lead by six at 18-12 before Linley Garrett hit a 3.

A couple of free throws pushed it back to a five point Paris lead but the Lady Bearcats scored the next eight, going in front 23-20 on Garrett’s second 3 of the quarter.

But, a long 3 would send the teams to the half tied.

Paris retook the lead 58 seconds into the third quarter with another 3 and, with the exception of ties at 29 and 31 led for over four minutes.

A 3 by Franklin gave the Lady Bearcats their first second half lead at 34-32 and when she hit another after a basket by Baylee Parnell it was a six point Lady Bearcat lead at 39-33.

It was again a six point lead at 43-37 with 6:41 to go but Paris scored the next seven in just 48 seconds to go up 43-42.

A Terry basket made it 45-44 but Paris answered to go back up 46-45 before the next nine were scored by the Lady Bearcats.