Lady Cats are Hoopfest champions

Published 12:13 pm Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Coach Kelvin Cochran’s Bainbridge High School Lady Cats are champions of Thomasville High School’s BSN Sports Adidas/Seminole Wind Holiday Hoopfest.

They captured the championship Friday night when Ri’Chana Jackson, Alex Carter and Briana Wade combined for 54 points to lead them to a 68-57 tournament championship game victory over the Brunswick High School Lady Pirates.

Jackson led the way with 22 points, Carter added 19 and Wade put in 13. Completing the Lady Cats’ scoring chart were Takia Crankfield with nine points, Diamond Bouie with three and Jasmin Kelly with two.

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The Lady Cats reached the championship game with a 54-51 Wednesday win over the Mitchell County High School Lady Eagles, and a 64-48 Thursday win over the host Thomasville High School Lady Bulldogs.

Coach Cochran said his team’s second half defense was a major key to their championship game victory over Brunswick.

“We were down by eight points at halftime,” he said. “Brunswick had two guards who were really tough, but we did a much better job on them defensively in the second half. I was proud of the efforts of all of our girls in the tournament. They played hard and well in all three games.

“The players on the court and the players on the bench who cheered them on and gave great moral support were all factors in our three victories.”

The Lady Cats, who are 7-4 on the season, will return to action Friday, when they host the Colquitt County High School Lady Packers at 6 p.m. They will remain home Saturday for a 6 p.m. game against the Miller County High School Lady Pirates.