The Ladycats fought their way past Bismark's swarming, flailing, slap, push and grab defense 45-38 Friday in the first round of the Class 3A Region 4 Basketball Tournament at Dumas High School.
Dumas won Saturday's game 50-41over Fouke, who's game plan appeared to be to mug the Ladycats at every opportunity. Dumas won the game at the free-throw line. Many more fouls should have been called on the Lady Panthers.
The Ladycats fell 45-34 to the Centerpoint Lady Knights in Monday's Finals.
The Ladycats are still going to the Class 3A State Tournament as a second seed from Region 4.
With the addition of the ninth grade Ladycats, this team has drastically stepped it up and become a serious force in Class 3A girl's basketball under Head Coach Glory Slater and assistants Tiffany Davis and Larry Harris. The girls have really stepped it up.
Monday night, they just ran into a polished, ball handling Centerpoint team that challenged the Ladycats in ways they had not seen this season.
The Ladycats Finals starters included: #23 freshman Alana Rounds, #30 sophomore Mirica Scott, #2 junior La'Paysha Croom, #31 Ziyaun McKinzie and #12 Ma'Dyson McKinzie.
Alana Rounds hit back to back bank shot 3-pointers to get Dumas started in the Finals.
Centerpoint responded with #25 point guard Marlee Bright's ball handling skills and ability to successfully pass the ball to cutting teammates for layups. Dumas defenders struggled to stay in front of Bright who used head fakes and footwork to weave in and out and around the Ladycat defenders. Though Ladycat #30 sophomore Mirica Scott occasionally was able to force her to give up the ball with her intense one-on-one defense. The Lady Knights also benefited by having two large, tall centers in the middle, who clogged up the lane and received multiple short passes in the paint under the basket for easy layups from point guard Bright.
Centerpoint outscored Dumas 16-11 in the first period.
Rounds led Dumas in the first period with six points, while Z. McKinzie scored four and M. McKinzie added one point at the line.
The Lady Knights extended their lead to 28-16 in the second period, outscoring the Ladycats 12-5.
Freshman #3 Stephana Steen led Dumas with three points in the period, while Rounds scored two.
The two teams were almost even in the third period with Centerpoint edging Dumas 8-6 to go up 36-22.
M. McKinzie, #14 sophomore Mia Dixon and Croom scored during the third period for Dumas.
The Ladycats outscored the Lady Knights 12-9 during the final eight minutes.
Z. McKinzie led the Ladycats in the fourth with seven points, while Rounds made another 3-pointer. Croom added a basket.
During the fourth, Coach Slater inserted #00 freshman guard Syncere Gary to defend and put pressure on Centerpoint's point guard Bright.
Freshmen Rounds and Z. McKinzie led the Ladycats with 11 points apiece, while Croom scored four.
M. McKinzie and Steen scored three points each, while Dixon added two points.
