‘Lady Warriors beat BIC in consolation game

EPC (21-13) outscored Buffalo Island Central (22-15) 16-8 in the second quarter to take a 21-17 halftime lead on their way to a 38-31 win in the girls’ consolation game of the 2A North Regional Tournament Saturday in Lake City. EPC will play Acorn and BIC will play Mountainburg in the opening round of the Class 2A State Tournament at Cedar Ridge.

BIC jumped out to a 5-0 lead as Chandler Gathright scored inside before Riley Parker scored in the paint and hit one of two free throws. Kelly Ashcraft scored down low for the Lady Warriors and Kyla Harston hit one of two free to cut the lead to 5-3 Lady Mustangs. Parker scored inside for BIC, Kylee Henderson stuck back a rebound for EPC before Gathright hit a jumper late to make the score 9-5 Lady Mustangs after one quarter.

Henderson canned a three-ball for EPC to start the second period. The Lady Mustangs answered with a basket inside from Emma Kate McCord and an old-school three-point play from Gathright to make it 14-8 BIC. Allison Gaines hit one of two free throws and Henderson scored in the paint for the Lady Warriors to cut the lead to 14-11. Parker hit one of two free throws for the Lady Mustangs only to see EPC get back to back baskets from Harston and Cambria Williams to tie the game at 15 with 3:30 left. Riley Ashcraft hit triple twine and converted an old-fashioned three-point play to give EPC a 21-15 lead before Parker scored inside to make it 21-17 Lady Warriors at halftime.

Kelly Ashcraft scored inside for EPC early in the third quarter before Gathright hit a jumper for the Lady Mustangs to make it 23-19 with 4:57 left. Henderson hit a jumper for EPC, Jaylyn Cagle hit two free throws for BIC before the Lady Warriors got a basket inside from Riley Ashcraft and one of two free throws from Madison Thomas to build the EPC lead to 29-21. Parker hit one of two free throws for the Lady Mustangs, JaLyn Constant made one of two free throws and Harston hit a baseline jumper as EPC pushed the lead to 32-22 after three quarters of play.

Cagle cut the lead to 32-25 with a conventional three-point play for BIC to open the fourth quarter scoring before Riley Ashcraft hit on of two free throws for the Lady Warriors to make it 33-25 EPC. Gathright hit a jumper and Cagle scored down low for BIC to cut the lead to 33-29. The Lady Warriors got basket inside from Gaines and one of two free throws from Riley Ashcraft to make it 36-29. Parker made two free throws for BIC and Riley Ashcraft hit two free throws for the Lady Warriors to make the final score 38-31 EPC.

“I think we did a good job playing zone against them (BIC) today and the girls came out and did a good job of executing the game plan,” EPC head coach Spencer Harston said. “I’m very proud of them today,” Harston added.

Riley Ashcraft scored 12 points to lead EPC as Henderson added nine points. Harston tallied five points, Kelly Ashcraft tossed in four points, Gaines had three points, Thomas and Williams scored two points each as Constant chipped in a point for the Lady Warriors.

“Slow start for us today, can’t missed 10 or 12 layups to start the game and expect to win,” BIC head coach Trevor Matheny said of his team. “Hats off to EPC for playing hard and taking care of business today,” Matheny added.

Parker and Gathright score 11 points each for the Lady Mustangs as Cagle added seven points and McCord had two points for BIC.