Lady Hawks win 21-3A title; down OF, 48-43

[Bobcat1]

[IMG]http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/3162/34735734.jpg[/img]
[b][size=10pt]Orangefield senior Aimee Scales scored nine points and had six rebounds in the Lady Bobcats' 48-43 loss to Hardin-Jefferson on Friday. Friday was the last home game in Scales' career which saw playoff trips in all three seasons.[/size] [/b]

[size=16pt]Lady Hawks win 21-3A title; down OF, 48-43[/size]


Gabriel Pruett
The Orange Leader

ORANGEFIELD — The Hardin-Jefferson Lady Hawks are the champions of District 21-3A and Jasmine Smith’s big night on Friday is a huge reason why.

Smith had 11 points in the fourth period, 21 total, in Hardin-Jefferson’s 48-43 victory over the home-team Orangefield Lady Bobcats.

The Lady Bobcats, who trailed by as many as nine in the game, could not come up with rebounds late in the game and the Lady Hawks (24-5, 9-0) knocked home enough free throws to seal the deal.

Orangefield dropped to 21-9 overall and 7-2 in the district standings.

Orangefield was led by Marissa Wyatt’s 12 points and senior Aimee Scales went out in style with nine points and six rebounds.

Scales, the lone senior for Orangefield this season, was 7-for-10 from the free throw line. Orangefield was 16-for-22 from the line for the game.

The Lady Bobcats trailed 42-41 after Wyatt knocked down a pair of free throws.

The Lady Hawks then went on a 4-0 run.

Smith hit a free throw then Abreanna Fontenot hit another to make it 44-41 with 34.1 left on the clock.

Latonya August grabbed an offensive rebound on the one-and-one and Orangefield was forced to foul again.

August knocked down the first free throw to make it 45-41 with 32.9 left in the game. Victoria Fontenot, who had nine points and seven rebounds, grabbed yet another offensive rebound for H-J.

Victoria drained her first free throw to make it 47-41 with 30 seconds left.

Ashton Wagner scored the Lady Bobcats last two points on a pair of free throws and Abreanna finished the score with one of her own.

Wagner finished with seven points and two rebounds, all seven points came in the fourth.

The third period was pivotal for the Lady Bobcats to even get back into the game as orangfield trailed 25-21 at the half, only after a huge shot from Wyatt.

Orangefield only had one basket in the second and were down 25-17 until Wyatt buried a three-pointer and was fouled in the process. Wyatt hit the free throw and H-J led by four at the break.

The Lady Hawks then could only muster up five points in the third and Orangefield seemed to find some offense.

Wyatt, Kacy Juneau and Scales each had four points in the third as Orangefield went up 33-30 after three when Scales scored at the buzzer.

Scales drove to the basket when nothing else seemed to work for Orangefield to take the final shot.

The senior did it herself and gave Orangefield its biggest lead of the night heading into the fourth.

The Lady Bobcats only made two baskets, both by Wagner, in the fourth while Smith and the Lady Hawks once again found their game.

Freshman Megan Burton had a nice game off the bench for Orangefield with five points and three rebounds while Kasidy Hayes finished with five boards. Juneau had a nice all-around game with five points, four rebounds and four steals.

Orangefield will finish up their district schedule with a trip to Silsbee on Tuesday.



http://www.orangeleader.com/hssports/local_story_036221243.html