The Apalachee High School Lady Wildcats held off a second-half rally by the host Winder-Barrow High School Lady Bulldoggs for a 41-33 victory last Wednesday.
The Lady Wildcats jumped out a 12-1 lead after the first quarter and continued to lead big (26-10) at halftime. The Lady Bulldoggs, however, would be within 35-28 after the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, WBHS got as close as 35-33 with 2:33 left after two free throws from Shakari Smith.
However, AHS was able to hold on for the region victory after two key putbacks by Ryan Burke in the final moments.
While pleased that his team won, Lady Wildcat coach Gary Compton said there is still work to be done.
“We have to do what we have been practicing since July,” Campton said after the game. “I’m not sure if we got tired late, but we couldn’t do the things we needed to do. I saw some improvement from Winder-Barrow. There are a lot of things they do better than us. We are a little older with some more varsity experience so that probably helps us. Winder is going to sneak up on someone before the season is over.”
Burke finished with a game-high 18 points. Zalandria Hill and Bronwyn Wade both scored six points for AHS.
Adrianna Davis scored 13 points to lead the Lady Bulldoggs while Smith scored 11.
“I thought we would be a little nervous and we were,” WBHS coach Brandon Thomas said. “We grew up a little in the second half. We had an 18-point third quarter which was our best of the season. We cut a 16-point lead down to two points. That will help us down the road.”
One difference in the game was the play of Burke, Thomas said.
“We didn’t have an answer for her,” the WBHS coach said. “We just couldn’t defend her.”
With his team trailing big at halftime, Thomas said he had a “heart-to-heart” talk with his players.
“It wasn’t sweet and soft,” he said. “We then held them to two single-digit quarters in the second half. It became a good, classic game down the wire.”
With his players experiencing some pre-game jitters, Thomas said the team did not run its offense effectively.
“By the third quarter we were in a better rhythm,” he said. It was a first time this season we had two players in double figures. Shakari provided leadership for us in the second half. She was more comfortable on the floor.”
Taliyah Moffett added five points for WBHS while Lakeisha Hall scored three.
AHS is back in action Jan. 4 at Salem which WBHS will host Walnut Grove in non-region play that night.
