Lady Blues win back-to-back over weekend; 2-0 in district

The Lady Blues basketball team is off to a 2-0 start in district play for the second year in a row. COVID-19 impacted the start of the district schedule and forced the postponement of the Jan. 5  opener at Burkburnett. Sarah Curd took over the team Friday night for a 49-21 victory over Iowa Park. Ky Graham was back with the team Saturday as the Lady Blues defeated Burkburnett 53-45.

Iowa Park never posed a threat to the Lady Blues Friday night. The Lady Blues led with their defense in the first quarter. The Lady Hawks turned the ball over six times in which the Lady Blues took advantage for seven points. The Lady Blues held the Lady Hawks without a field goal in the first quarter and without points for nearly four minutes before a free throw by Bella Dickens snapped the cold streak. Led by six points each from Hannah Isom and Maddie Mandela, the Lady Blues led 13-3 after one.

While the Lady Hawks found more points in the second quarter, they were held without a field goal until the 3:08 mark in the quarter. Neither team shot the ball at a high percentage, it was the Lady Blues taking advantage of extra opportunities provided by the defense that allowed them to increase the lead. Four Lady Blues combined for 10 points with Mandela and Aliayah Saldivar each scoring on 3-pointers. The Lady Blues led by as much as 16 in the half after Saldivar’s 3-pointer.  Dickens converted on an and-one opportunity with 52.1 seconds remaining in the quarter and the Lady Blues led 23-10 at halftime.

For the rest of the story, see the Jan. 13 edition of The Graham Leader.