LITTLE CYPRESS — Utilizing a solid, balanced attack, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bears handed first-year head coach Eddie Michalko his first win in Bear Country as they cruised past the East Chambers Lady Buccaneers 51-36 Friday night at the Bear Cave.

After a sluggish opening quarter, the Lady Bears (1-1) went on to outscore the Lady Bucs 42-23 the rest of the way.

Danielle Pelt paced the Lady Bear arsenal by burying four three-pointers to score a game-high 12 points. She drained two big treys in the third quarter that helped ignite a 19-9 LC-M spurt.

Lady Bear point guard Chelsea Perry chimed in with a double-double as she finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Post Genesis Barclay kept the Lady Bears in pace with the Lady Bucs as she tallied all eight of her points in the first half while also adding eight boards.

Britney Wyatt played excellent defense and finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Zaria Johnson had seven points while post Karly Rogers had six points and five rebounds.

Lexi Booze led the East Chambers attack, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds. Candence Ridgway had six points while Valencia Thomas had five. Skylar Pinkaid and Tyana Randle grabbed seven rebounds apiece for the Lady Bucs.

East Chambers got off to a nice start behind Ridgway’s five points as the Lady Bucs led 13-9 after the first period.

The Lady Bears kept chipping away in the second quarter, Perry scored seven points in the quarter and led a late surge with LC-M scoring the last six points that enabled the Lady Bears to grab a 21-18 lead at intermission.

LC-M pulled away in the third quarter, scoring eight of the period’s first 10 points. Pelt was huge with her two three-point missiles. Meanwhile Rogers had five points in the quarter while Wyatt and Johnson chimed in with four points apiece.

The Lady Bears went on to outscore the Lady Bucs 11-9 in the last eight minutes.

LC-M finished with a 37-33 rebounding edge. The Lady Bears had 18 turnovers while the Lady Bucs had 17.

Both teams struggled mightily from the free-throw line. The Lady Bears were just 9-of-26 while East Chambers finished 10-of-28.

The Lady Bears return to action Monday when they pay a visit to the Nederland Lady Bulldogs.