Lady Lions win ninth consecutive game

By DAVID PIERCE

Osceola Times

MT. VIEW – The Manila Lady Lions won their ninth consecutive game as they opened the 3A Region 2 Tournament with a 45-36 win over Tuckerman Feb. 22.

Defense - Manila’s Kinley Shelton (25) defends against Tuckerman’s Ansley Dawson. Shelton and her teammates would defeat the Lady Bulldogs 45-36. (Courtesy Photo)

After a sluggish start, Manila (20-9), the top seed from the 3A-3 District, outscored the Lady Bulldogs 28-12 in the second half to post the nine-point win.

The Lady Lions managed just five points in the opening period and trailed by seven entering the second quarter.

Manila’s first bucket didn’t come until the 2:11 mark when senior Madison Hitchcock buried a three-pointer. The basket cut Tuckerman’s lead to 6-3.

The Lady Lions more than doubled their output in the second frame as five players scored points led by Jenna LaRose’s four.

Still, the Lady Bulldogs (23-12), behind Mac Kenzie Soden’s eight first half points –two second quarter three pointers – held a 24-17 advantage at the break.

However, Manila limited Tuckerman to just four field goals in the second half as the Lady Bulldogs missed on 11 of the attempts.

Meanwhile, the Lady Lions were 9-of-17 from the field. They took their first lead of the game when Hitchcock was true on two free throw attempts with two seconds left in the third period. Hitchcock’s makes gave her squad a 28-27 lead.

That began a 10-0 spurt which turned a one-point deficit into a nine-point margin over the Lady Bulldogs. Hitchcock spurred the run with the two free throws, a steal and a hoop, and a jumper with an assist to Kinley Shelton.

MHS went on to outscore Tuckerman, 17-9, in the final period of play.

Hitchcock finished with a game-high 18 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds and collected three steals. LaRose accounted for eight points and six rebounds, while Shelton had six points and six rebounds.

The Lady Lions shot 41 percent from the field. Manila, a typical efficient three-point shooting squad, was only 1-of-9 from beyond the arc.  They did outrebound the Lady Bulldogs, 29-25.

Soden led Tuckerman with 14 points and seven rebounds. Teammate Dawson tallied eight points and three assists and Katie Clark scored six points, collected four rebounds and dished out two assists.

Manila advanced to play Salem, while Tuckerman’s season ended with the postseason loss.