A hot 17-3 start would set the pace for the Bauxite Lady Miners, as they would go onto win 47-26 versus the Mena Lady Bearcats in the semifinals of the 7-4A District Tournament. The Lady Miners defense played a key role in the victory, forcing countless turnovers by playing the passing lanes. Head Coach Joanna Scott believed her team’s energy was the difference-maker.
“We knew we wanted to be active on defense,” Scott said. “We came out tonight with a lot of defensive intensity and it caused a lot of turnovers. All that pressure really helped.”
The Lady Miners (19-9) would roar to a 17-3 start in the first quarter, behind the offense of sophomore Lauren Bainter coupled with the pesky perimeter defense of seniors Bailey Buffington and Daniele Singleton. Bainter’s activity on the offensive glass and strength helped her score seven points in the first quarter. Mena began to clutter the paint in an attempt to stifle Bainter, but the post player began feeding open shooters around the perimeter. Senior Shelby Chavers would capitalize on the open looks, hitting two threes in the first quarter to add to their lead.
“We had a balanced night of scoring,” Scott said. “We found points on the inside and it helped create space for us on the perimeter.”
The Lady Miners are set to play the Ashdown Lady Panthers in the 7-4A finals Saturday at 6 p.m. Ashdown downed Arkadelphia 44-38 on Thursday in the semis.