Junior Lady Rebels capture district title

Riverside outscored Earle 10-0 in the fourth quarter to turn a 29-22 deficit into a 32-29 win giving the Junior Lady Rebels the 2A-3 district title this past Saturday in Rector.

Riverside jumped out to a 4-0 lead as Carson Smith and Hannah Shinall hit back to back baskets. Earle answered taking a 5-4 lead before Brittney Sain hit a baseline jumper for Riverside to make it 6-5. Earle took the lead at 7-6 before Sain converted an old-fashioned three-point play and Bailey Fisher scored inside to make the score 11-7 Riverside. Earle added two free throws making it 11-9 Junior Lady Rebels after the first quarter.

Sain hit one of two free throws to open the second quarter making it 12-9 before Earle reeled off nine straight points to take an 18-12 lead. Shinall and Fisher each scored off offensive rebounds and Sain added a free throw to make the score 18-17 Earle at the half.

The Riverside Junior Lady Rebels celebrate after winning the 2A-3 Junior District Tournament Saturday.

Earle's 9-2 run the first half of the third quarter stretched their lead to 27-19 as Briley Douglas scored Riverside's only basket during the Earle run. Fisher drained a three-pointer to cut the Earle lead to 27-22 only to see the Junior Lady Bulldogs get an inside basket to make it 29-22 Earle headed to the final quarter.

Sain scored off an offensive rebound to cut the Earle lead to 29-24. Shinall was fouled going after a loose ball at mid-court which resulted in technical fouls assessed to her and an Earle player. The technical fouls cancelled each other out and Shinall hit one of her two foul shots to make it 29-25 Earle.

Fisher cut the Earle lead to 29-28 with a three-pointer before she converted an old-school three-point play to give Riverside a 31-29 lead. Shinall added a free throw late to set the final score at 32-29 Riverside.

Bailey Fisher of Riverside scores inside for the Junior Lady Rebels during their district title game with Earle Saturday in Rector. (TC Photo/Anthony Cossey)

Fisher scored 13 points to lead Riverside in scoring as Sain finished with nine points.

The Junior Lady Rebels finished the season with a 26-5 record taking second in the conference to go along with the district title.