Bridge City, LCM, and Orangefield girls basketball teams headed to playoffs

The regular season for girls high school basketball concluded Tuesday, February 6. Three local girls teams will be playing in the post season.

The Bridge City Lady Cardinals earned their way into the playoffs with a win at Vidor on Friday, February 2. The Lady Cardinals won 52-45 over the Lady Pirates to clinch their playoff berth.

Kaylee Britten broke loose scoring 19 points for Bridge City. Britten also assisted on 4 baskets by other Lady Cardinals. Whitney Cunningham and Nicole Sasser scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectfully. Cunningham added 4 rebounds while Sasser blocked two shots. Kennedy Campbell contributed 6 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals.

Little Cypress Mauriceville took a big step to the post season with a win on Tuesday, January 30. The Lady Bears beat the Vidor Lady Pirates 53-48 at the Dr. Pauline Colburn Hargrove Gymnasium.

LCM and Vidor went into the game battling for the fourth and final playoff position with the Lady Bears enjoying a half game lead in the District 19-4A standings. The Lady Pirates came out strong to grab a 13-7 lead after the first quarter.

The second quarter turned out to be the turning point in the game. The Lady Bears' got a quick basket off of a steal by Keylie Washburn that started a twenty-two point run for the home team.

Mallory Russell of LCM tossed in five points including a three point basket in the middle of the point spree. Washburn rang up fifteen points in the second quarter as the Lady Bears grabbed a 33-17 advantage by the end of the first half.

Washburn got called for her fourth foul early in the third quarter and sat out much of the period. Keylie returned to the court in the final quarter and almost immediately fouled out.

Lady Bear Lucia Lopes-Montoto made her only basket during the game to give LCM a 50-38 lead with 3:30 to play in regulation. Vidor cut the lead to four points before Maya Meadows made three late free throws to help wrap up the win for Little Cypress Mauriceville.

Keylie Washburn led the Lady Bears with 19 points despite being on the bench almost the entire second half. Eden Frenzel played a gutsy game having been ill as the game tipped off. She scored 9 points. Mallory Russell registered 8 points for LCM.

Coach Eddie Michalko of Little Cypress Mauriceville was happy with the win over Vidor. "Of course the Lady Pirates are very talented and very well coached. With Keylie on the bench my young girls came off the bench and did a heck of a job as far as staying even with them," Michalko praised.

The coach analyzed the huge second quarter for Washburn and the Lady Bears. Michalko observed, "We actually made some of our shots that quarter, and Keylie was taking the ball off the boards and just went straight down the floor with it and Vidor had a hard time keeping up."

Little Cypress Mauriceville lost 48-37 at Lumberton on Friday, February 2. Prior to the final district games on Tuesday, February 6, the District 19-4A standings had the undefeated Silsbee Lady Tigers in first place. Second place Lumberton (8-3) played third place Bridge City (7-4) on Tuesday with a shot at second place on the line. Vidor's loss to Bridge City gave Little Cypress Mauriceville (6-5) fourth place as the Lady Pirates (5-7) dropped out of contention for the final playoff berth.

The Orangefield Lady Bobcats extended their winning streak to eleven games before losing a tough contest on the road to the East Chambers Lady Bucs. The loss dropped Orangefield into second place with a record of 11-2 in the District 22-3A standings one game behind first place Kountze. The final district game was played on Tuesday, February 6, at home against Anahuac which Orangefield beat by 49 points when the two teams met previously in district action.

The Lady Bobcats won 43-36 on Tuesday, January 30, at Warren. It was the eleventh consecutive district victory for Orangefield.

Brooklyn Wagoner was the leading scorer for the Lady Bobcats with 10 points. She grabbed 3 rebounds and made 3 steals in the triumph.

Other stars for Orangefield were Greenlea Oldham with 8 points and 7 rebounds, Kaylea Gravett getting 7 points and 3 assists, Olivia Smith scoring 5 points with 3 steals, Mikayla Locke scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Paisley Reeves pulled down 5 rebounds.

The Orangefield win streak was snapped 38-33 at Winnie on Friday. Locke led the Lady Bobcats with 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. Oldham scored 10 points, made 7 rebounds, had 2 steals, handed out 2 assists, and blocked a shot. Reeves pulled in 7 rebounds and Steely Franklin had 3 rebounds with 3 steals.