FERGUSON LEADS LADY BEARCATS TO ROAD WIN

Including a game-tying and go-ahead 3, Anna Ferguson scored 12 second half points to lead the Booneville Lady Bearcats to a 45-41 win at Cossatot River Tuesday night.

Ferguson (shown) scored six third quarter points, the final of which gave the Lady Bearcats (5-6, 1-1 Conference 3A-4) a 34-28 lead with 3:21 to play in the quarter.

The Lady Eagles, however, cut it back to 36-32 in just two trips, and had a chance to tie it but misfired on two free throws with 40.1 seconds left in the quarter.

A basket by Baylee Parnell, giving her 11, made it 36-32 going to the final quarter.

Cossatot then ran off seven straight, including hitting their only 3 of the game, and led 39-36 4:23 to go.

Ferguson answered with a 3 with 2:32 left and gave the Lady Bearcats a 42-39 with another 3 with 1:54 left.

The rest of the points for the visitors would come one at a time.

Though they would combine to go 3-for-8, it was two by Angie Brown free throws with :03 to play that put the game away.

That opportunity came about after a steal by Ferguson of an inbound pass and a pass to Brown.

Other than Ferguson, free throws were the story. The team combined to shoot 30 in the first half and the count was at 42 before six in the final minute as the Lady Eagles were fouling expressly to stop the clock.

Cossatot had a four point first quarter lead before Parnell scored seven straight for her team, giving her nine in the quarter.

It was a 16-11 lead after a 3 by Haylee Taylor with 4:44 left in the first half and a second Taylor 3 gave the Lady Bearcats a game best lead of seven at 25-18 with 1:33 left in the half.

The advantage was just 27-25 with 6:38 to play in the third quarter but Ferguson scored with 4:33 to go in the quarter and scored again after two Taylor free throws and it was 34-28.

The Lady Bearcats are now off until 11 a.m., Thursday, December 27 when they play Centerpoint in the opening game of the Bill Frye Invitation in Mansfield.