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Madill guard Abbie Lambertsen (2) drives into the lane against Pauls Valley in the Regional Tournament Feb. 27. Glenn Price • The Madill Record
NEWCASTLE – The girls played hard, but couldn’t get the shots and dropped their final game of the season against The Pauls Valley Lady Panthers, 46-29, in the consolation bracket of the 4A Regional Tournament Feb. 27 in Newcastle.
According to Madill Head Coach Shawn Runyan, their record last year was 4-20 so the 10-15 record this year was a marked improvement. Last year they lost twice to Kingston by lopsided scores, this year they split the games.
Prior to the game, Runyon remarked that the team had shot only 18 percent from the floor in their game against Tecumseh.
He also said that they had worked on offense throughout the week prior to the game against Pauls Valley.
“We took the fourth quarter off in the previous game against Pauls Valley,” Runyon remarked before the game. (They lost that game 55-35) “It seems we often have a quarter that we just don’t score.”
The game certainly started out slowly as the Madill Lady Wildcats only scored two points in the first quarter with Jayden Weiberg hitting the first basket of the game. They were down 23-12 at the end of the first half.
Kristen Chapa led the way in the first half with five points on a jumper and three from the charity stripe.
Ximena Gomez scored two on a lay-up and Mariana Mendez scored three on a layup and a free throw.
In the second half, the Lady Wildcats had better results but they were outscored 23-17.
Chapa once again scored five points in the third quarter and Braylee Schneider hit a bucket for two points.
In the fourth quarter, Mendez scored three points on another layup and a free throw. Jocelyn Stumblingbear hit a free throw, Cielo Gomez hit two free throws, Lydia Landgraf hit a bucket for two points and Abbie Lambertsen hit a two-pointer.
Pauls Valley hit six threepointers in the game compared to none for the Lady Wildcats.
The three-pointers were made by four different players for the Lady Panthers.
“Turnovers really hurt us as we counted 15 in the first half and the second half was about the same,” said Runyon. “Our press worked and we got turnovers from Pauls Valley, but we just couldn’t capitalize. We were down at the end of the season, but we definitely improved over last year.”
The Lady Wildcats only graduate two seniors and have some good sophomores and juniors returning for next year.
The team always played hard and competed and looks forward to another improved season next year.