Abbeville wins the battle of the Cats

ERATH - The Abbeville Lady Wildcats defeated the Erath Lady Bobcats 40-29 in District 6-3A action.

Abbeville improves to 3-0 in district play, while Erath falls to 2-1.

The game began as a defensive struggle. Erath’s height battled against Abbeville’s strength as the slugged out an 8-5 first period, as the two teams combined for one 2-point field goal.

Gabby Harrington opened the scoring as she hit an outside shot to give the Lady Bobcats an early 3-0 lead. Christina Hackshaw and Bianca Levy combined to make two free throws to get Abbeville on the board and cut the Erath lead to 3-2 with 6:21 remaining
in the first period.

Nearly three minutes would run off the clock before either team made another bucket. With 3:27 seconds to go, Arrayia Starlard found Jada Darby camping in the corner. Darby drained the three, giving the Lady Wildcats their first lead of the game, 5-3.

The Lady Bobcats tied the score at five when Ashley Dubois made the only 2-pointer of the quarter with 2:11 to play. Jada Darby completed the first quarter scoring when she sank another three from the top of the key to give Abbeville the lead for good.

Early in the second quarter Jacqueline Braxton got her first bucket of the game from inside the paint for Abbeville. Alexis Harrington answered for Erath when she beat Levy on the low-block for the layup. With 6:31 to play in the half, the score stood at 10-7.

The score remained that way as 4:03 ran off the clock with the two teams physically pounding each other from baseline to baseline. After several turnovers, tie-ups, missed shots and players hitting the deck, Starlard penetrated into the lane from the wing, then
kicked it out to a wide-open Hackshaw at the top of the key. Her subsequent 3-pointer broke the scoring drought and put the Lady Wildcats ahead 13-7 with 2:38 to play in the half.

After missing two foul shots, Caitlin Domingues drove baseline with 40 seconds left in the half and found the bottom of the net, making the score 13-9 at the break.

“We talked about establishing our inside game at halftime,” said Abbeville assistant coach Benny Dronet. “Erath did a real good job of taking that away in the first half, but we needed to establish our bigs. Arrayia did a great job penetrating and dishing to
them in the second half.”

“We denied the post well on defense,” he continued. “When they did get the ball inside, we had the self-discipline to make them shoot over our hands. We didn’t jump and swat at the ball. We stood tall and did not foul. That was our defensive strategy and
we were very pleased with its execution throughout the game.”

An early bucket by Erath in the third pulled them to within 13-11. Abbeville wasted no time getting the ball inside to Barbara Bryant, who did not score in the first half. She drove left passed Jasmine LeJeune before Alexis Harrington took the foul for Erath to
prevent the easy basket. Bryant missed both free throws and the score remained 13-11 with 6:30 left in the third quarter.

The Lady Bobcats answered by finding Alexis Harrington in the post on the other end of the floor. Bryant guarded her and stood her ground, forcing Harrington to shoot over her and miss the shot.

Abbeville grabbed the rebound and raced back down the court. Starlard penetrated and dished to Hackshaw who was hiding in the corner. Her 3-pointer made the score 16-11 with 5:53 to play in the quarter.

Once again Starlard’s penetration ignited the Lady Wildcats’ offense. This time she drew the defense in the paint and dished to Bryant for the easy layup, extending the lead to 18-11 with 5:21 remaining.

Starlard found Braxton next and her layup stretched the lead to 20-11. Levy’s layup doubled-up the Lady Bobcats 22-11 and forced Erath head coach Andrea Bernard to call a timeout.

“When Bianca and Barbara get going they’re tough to stop,” Bernard said. “They really feed off each, are physically strong and know how to use that strength.”

Following the timeout, the Lady Bobcats scored four-straight points on buckets by LeJeune and Ashlyn Lege to cut the lead to 22-15 with 2:03 left in the third. Darby answered for Abbeville as the Lady Wildcats played inside-out. Starlard passed to Bryant in
the post and she found Darby wide open for her third 3-pointer of the game extending the lead back to double-digits at 25-15.

Over the final 1:45 of the third, Lege scored again for Erath, Bryant made two free throws for Abbeville and Gabby Harrington drained another three for the Lady Bobcats. Going to the fourth, Abbeville led 27-20.

Hackshaw opened the fourth with a 2-point bucket and a 29-20 lead just 20 seconds into the quarter. Gabby Harrington drew a foul after driving baseline and made 1-2 from the charity stripe to cut the lead to 29-21. Harrington then found Dubois streaking
down court for an easy layup, shrinking the Abbeville lead to 29-23 with 6:22 to go in the game.

Hacksaw drove to the basket on Abbeville’s next possession and got fouled. She made 1-2 free throws to make it 30-23. The Lady Wildcats extended to 32-23 before Alexis Harrington’s jumper from the elbow made it 32-25. Levy quickly answered for
Abbeville, scoring from inside the lane, bringing the lead back to nine at 34-25 with 4:36 to go.

After a defensive stop by Abbeville, Starlard’s drive and dish to Bryant made it 36-25. Harrington and Harrington then connected for Erath as Gabby found Alexis open in the paint for the basket, making it 36-27 with 2:59 left on the clock.

Levy pushed the lead back to double figures, 38-27, with another basket inside the lane. Alexis Harrington scored the Lady Bobcats final bucket with 1:08 to play. With 38 seconds to play, Abbeville made the final shot of the game.

“Our girls play well and they played hard,” said Bernard. “I think talent-wise we are equal to them, but their strength inside made a difference. Also, they were able to knock down the outside shot and we weren’t.”

Dronet echoed Bernard.

“We beat a good team,” he said. “They are very competitive. They fight for every loose ball and play hard for four quarters. We knew they would be tough coming in. We got a good win over a good team tonight.”

District 6-3A play continues for both squads as Abbeville travels to Leroy to tangle with the Lady Pats, while Erath goes to Crowley to face Notre Dame.

Rosco Harrington
Sports Correspondant