Published: January 03, 2009 03:12 pm      

Fourth-quarter surge lifts Lady Cats past Kirbyville

ORANGEFIELD — After scrapping with the Orangefield Lady Bobcats for 27 minutes and staying within range, the Kirbyville Wildcats ran into an orange and white buzzsaw in the last five minutes.

Leading 46-38 with five minutes to go, the Lady Bobcats went on a 18-3 spurt to spank the Lady Wildcats 64-41 in non-district action at Bobcat Gym Saturday afternoon.

Aimee Scales and Olivia Wagner were the main instigators for the Lady Bobcats in the last five minutes as both players pumped in eight points apiece down the stretch.

Scales had a “dream” game inside for Orangefield (14-4) as she pumped in a game-high 20 points, 12 coming in the second half, while snagging five rebounds.

Wagner scored 11 of her 19 points after intermission and led the Lady Bobcats with six rebounds.

The Lady Bobcats also received 10 points and five boards from post Allie Beach.

The Lady Bobcats were outrebounded by the Lady Wildcats 32-27 but more than made up for it on the defensive end. Orangefield forced Kirbyville into a whopping 34 turnovers.

Shifty point guard Keke Jones paced the Lady Wildcats with 14 points. Forward Abril Wright had 12 points and five rebounds. Forward Carley Lewis chimed in with eight points and 10 boards while Keila Brown added a game-high 11 rebounds.

Orangefield forced the Lady Wildcats into seven of their nine turnovers in the fourth period in the final 3:47. The Lady Bobcats were a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth and finished a solid 17-of-23. Kirbyville went just 11-of-21 from the charity stripe.

Orangefield led 18-13 at the end of the first period as six Orangefield players scored in the quarter. Wright scored seven of her points in the period to keep Kirbyville close.

Orangefield led 34-24 near the end of the second by Jones hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to send Kirbyville in at intermission just seven points down.

Orangefield expanded its lead to 46-34 at the end of the third with Beach posting inside for five points while Scales popped for four points and Wagner busted a three-point missile.

The Lady Bobcats, who finished with 17 turnovers, will head to Tarkington Tuesday night for a non-district encounter before they start District 21-3A play Friday at ıridge City as they look to defend their district crown.