RHS girls ready for playoffs
For the girls the playoffs have started not so much with a bang as with a whimper.
The seventh seeded Lady Hornets played host to Beekman Charter, a district foe that Rayville vanquished easily in two district games and seeded 26. You would not have known it by the play in the first quarter. The girls came out tight and suffered through the worst first quarter of the year with eight only points.
Fortunately the Lady Hornet defense never takes a holiday and they held Beekman to four points each in the first two quarters. After the cobwebs had cleared, the Hornets scorched the nets for 29 in the second quarter and that was petty much it for the starters as they rested for the next game.
The final score was 53-25.
High scorer was Mykiya Wilson with 14 points including 8/10 free throws. Tashunna Neal had 11 including a three-pointer. T’Kira Fuller had 10, Sharman Franklin had eight with two threes. Jalexius Kelly four and Miciah Williams, Tamaya Miller and Ashonti Hunter each had two.
This game set the stage for round two as Mansfield out of Desoto Parish came to town after thumping Pine by over 30 points. It seems that power seeding is an inexact science as the Wolverines came in with a 10 power rating and this was after they had split games with the number one seed, North Caddo in the regular season.
During warm-up one could tell this was going to be a tough game. The Wolverines could play a little D themselves. Fortunately the lack of competition in district was not a factor as the Lady Hornets failed to yield.
Mansfield scored with ease and led 2-0 when Franklin hit an NBA-size three but the Wolverines went out front 7-3 when Tashunna Neal hit a three to close it to 7-6. With two free throws, Rayville went up 8-7 only to drop back 9-8. Franklin closed out the scoring in the quarter with another three, 11-9.
With the score 11-11, Shamari made it 14-11 with 5:43 to play in the first half. Mansfield never led after that though they did tie it at 16-16. Jalexius broke that tie with another bomb and the ladies led 19-16 with 3:18 left in the half that ended 21-18 Lady Hornets.
Franklin opened the second half with her third bomb that gave Rayville 24-18 lead. Rayville went on to their biggest lead of the evening 32-24 with 2:56 left in the third.
The game was the story of threes and frees. Rayville hit an unbelievable 10 threes while Mansfield got only one. The Wolverines closed the biggest lead of the Hornets 32-30 to end the third period only to have Jalexius opened the fourth with the fourth of her five threes 35-30. When they got 35-32, Jalexius hit her fifth to lead 38-32. The Lady Hornets went onto win 44-37.
Most games are usually won or lost at the free-throw line. Rayville had only two and made them both but Mansfield missed 8 of 10.
Next Rayville is on the road to play the #2 seed Lake Arthur while the Rayville boys open the playoffs against Beekman Charter here in Rayville at 7 p.m. Feb. 23. Admission $8.