The Lady Bison traveled to Eustace last weekend to take part in the Bulldog’s annual basketball tournament. The team started off the tournament with a tough loss to Sunnyvale, 37-57. It didn’t take long for the girl to redeem themselves, though. The Ladies fought on, winning the rest of their games and finishing the tournament with a record of 3-1 that landed them a third place trophy.
“The girls competed well in the tournament,” head coach Jozette Jenkins said. “Of course, there are things that we need to work on, however, I’m pleased with the third place spot that the girls earned.”
In their first game against Sunnyvale, the team got off to a rough start. The Lady Bison fought to dig themselves out of the hole that the Raiders continued to widen every chance they got.
“In our first game on Thursday, we waited too late in the game to start playing,” senior Lauren Pate said. “We knew that if we wanted to win our next game we’d have to start the game with the same intensity that we play with in the fourth quarter of our first game.”
The Lady Bison showed up to play in their second game. They topped Lone Oak 54-45.
“I’m convinced that we are not early-game girls,” Jenkins said. “We never have done great when we play in the morning. It took a while for the team to wake up, but after they did, they were on a roll.”
For their third game, the team competed against the Kerens Bobcats, fighting for a chance to stay in the running. The girls jumped out on the Bobcats early, gaining a lead that they were able to maintain for the entire game. The team sealed the win 53-36.
“Our main goal going into the third game was blocking out,” senior Hannah Eakin said. “If we didn’t do anything else, Coach Jenkins wanted us to block out. We did exactly what she asked, which resulted in us earning a place in the consolation game.”
In game four, playing for consolation, the ladies faced Union Grove. The Lady Bison defense was too much for the opposing team to handle. They came out on top with a score of 43-26.
“My first varsity tournament as a freshman was an exciting experience,” freshman Samantha Pate said. “We were aiming for first, but even though we came up short I was happy with my team and the way we performed. Our next goal is to be in the championship next weekend in the Centerville tournament.”
