Lady Chicks rout Gosnell, earn second league win

BLYTHEVILLE – The Blytheville Lady Chicks and rival Gosnell played a competitive first quarter. However, it was all Lady Chicks for the balance of the game as they earned a 62-32 win in 4A-3 Conference play Thursday.

Gosnell (4-15, 1-4) played within three points through the first eight minutes, trailing 13-10 at the end of one quarter. However, the Lady Chicks stepped up their defensive pressure and transition game thereafter putting the game well out reach in the third period.

Blytheville (11-8, 2-3) was buoyed by Mikayla Guess’s game-high 20 points – 10 in the third quarter alone – and double figure contributions from Kaleigh Middlebrooks, 15, and McKinley Walker, 10, as they ran away with the game in the second half.

Guess scored repeatedly in transition in the third quarter as Blytheville employed its press. Gosnell had difficulty advancing the ball to front court and turned it over on numerous possessions. The Lady Chicks kept the pressure on until late in the fourth quarter as they extended their lead resulting in the sportsmanship clock going into effect.

When the Lady Pirates were running their offense, they were unable to consistently put the ball in the basket. They made just eight shots the entire game. In fact, 15 of their points came from the free throw line where they missed on 10 tries.

In all, 43 fouls were whistled and the teams combined for 57 foul shots. Blytheville similarly struggled at the free throw line as they made just 14-of-32.

Gosnell was paced by Bryonna Thompson, Sierra Simmons and Lae Lae Lincoln’s nine points each. Lincoln also collected eight rebounds.

The two teams meet again in the regular season finale Feb. 11.