LADY BEARCATS RALLY, BUT FALL SHORT

The Booneville Lady Bearcats started the second half with a 7-0 run to get within two of Ozark in the second night of play of the 11th Bearcat Classic.

The Lady Bearcats eventually cut it to a single point but a dry spell of 4:43 to close the third quarter and opened the fourth quarter allowed Ozark to go on to a 48-43 win.

During the scoring drought Ozark built a 10-point lead and eventually led by 11 with 5:15 to play.

Again the Lady Bearcats went on a run with Tempi Terry, Raelynn Franklin and Haylee Taylor scoring seven unanswered to cut it to 42-38 with 4:10 remaining.

A conventional three-point play by Franklin and a basket by Baylee Parnell had the Lady Bearcats within 45-43 with 2:10 remaining.

Ozark closed it out with a couple of free throws.

Makinley Ensey (shown) had started the scoring with a 3 and the Lady Bearcats led 5-2 just over two minutes into the game but it was Ozark who went on a 7-0 run to take the lead.

Ozark led 15-7 with 6:34 to go in the first half but the Lady Bearcats got it to within 15-12 on a free throw by Angie Brown, but the only Lady Bearcat points the rest of the half were a pair of Terry free throws and a basket by Anna Ferguson.

For Ferguson it was her first action since an injury in the second game of the season. It would be her only points in limited minutes, that included taking a charge.

Terry led the Lady Bearcats with 13 points. Franklin scored seven and had eight rebounds.

Ozark 59 Bearcats 35

Noah Harrel opened the scoring and his second basket had the Bearcats within 7-6. His third made it 12-8 with 7:22 to play in the half.

Ozark, however scored the next seven points to open a double digit lead until Jace Washburn scored but the rest of the half saw the Bearcats score only on a pair of Aiden Carter free throws and another Harrel basket and it was 29-15 at the half.

Ozark scored the first six points of the second half to lead by 20 and was in control the rest of the way.

Harrel led the Bearcats with 10 points.

Both teams will be at Hackett as part of a four game night Friday night and will play again in the Bearcat Classic at noon and approximately 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.