Close

Recent Posts

Archives

Sulphur Springs Lady Cats Grab Blowout Win

Sulphur Springs Lady Cats Grab Blowout Win
  • PublishedJanuary 26, 2023


 

The Sulphur Springs Lady Cats hosted Pleasant Grove Tuesday, hoping to put a stop to a three-game skid of losses. It was an important game for the Lady Cats in their district battle, as they’d fallen to 2-3, after winning back-to-back games over Pleasant Grove and Pittsburg to open district play. 

The Lady Cats came into the game ready for a tight battle, as they escaped with a narrow 50-49 win over Pleasant Grove the first time around. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Sulphur Springs got out to an amazing start, quickly building a double-digit lead in the opening minutes. 

Sophomore Codee Roland played a huge role in the early going, scoring 13 points in the opening frame alone. Thanks to great defense and turning it into points on the other end, the Lady Cats led 19-3 at the end of the first quarter. 

The second quarter saw more of the same, as Sulphur Springs continued to be very stingy on the defensive end. The scoring slowed down just a bit, but it didn’t matter, as they simply didn’t allow their opponents to score points. 

Sulphur Springs opened the half on a 10-3 run, pushing their lead to 29-6 midway through the frame. Finally Pleasant Grove began to find some offense of their own, cutting the deficit to 33-12 at the end of the first half. 

Roland continued to score with ease, sitting at 17 points at the halfway mark. Senior Kenzie Willis and sophomore Kyra Carter were also doing their fair share, combining for 14 points between the two. 

Already working with a 19-point lead entering the second half, the Lady Cats didn’t slow up their, looking for a statement win to put themselves back in the playoff hunt. Sulphur Springs opened the second half just as impressively as they started the first, going on yet another 19-3 run. 

Most of the heavy lifting came from a 2-2-1 press, forcing turnovers left and right, while not allowing Pleasant Grove to even cross half court most of the time. Sulphur Springs kept their foot on the gas, and entered the final frame with a 62-22 lead, allowing just 10 points in the frame, while almost doubling their own point total. 

In the fourth quarter, Sulphur Springs was able to fall back a bit, with the win all but secured already. Pleasant Grove was finally able to score some points in bunches, but the damage was already done, as the Lady Cats picked up the win by a final score of 70-41, setting a new-season high for points scored in a game by the Lady Cats. 

Roland finished as the leading scorer for Sulphur Springs, putting up an impressive 20 points. She did so on an efficient 60% from the field, and was even able to knock in a pair of 3-pointers.

[adning id=”33207″]

Senior Addisyn Wall and sophomore Trinity Jefferson also finished in double-digits, scoring 12 points and 11 points respectively. Wall also played a huge role outside of her scoring, dishing out six assists and grabbing eight rebounds. She also was excellent with the ball in her hands, turning the ball over at a rate of just 12.6%. 

Jefferson was very efficient in the win, making the most of almost all of her chances. The sophomore made five of her seven attempts from the field, including going 5-6 inside the 3-point line. In just 18 minutes of action, Jefferson had a plus-minus of +21. 

The next leading scorer for Sulphur Springs was Willis, who filled the stat sheet in a number of ways. Willis had nine points, but also led the team with seven assists and perhaps an even more turnover rate of just 11.5%. The Lady Cats’ senior also grabbed 12 rebounds and was able to force one steal. 

Just behind her was Carter, who scored seven points while shooting an impressive 40% behind the 3-point line. 

Freshman Rainey Johnson had another great night on the boards, pulling in a team-high 13 rebounds while scoring five points. The freshman has been an excellent rebounder, leading the team with 10.2 rebounds per game in district play. 


Other scorers for Sulphur Springs were sophomores Aaliyah Cheatum and Kaylee Carter who each had three points. Carter played 20 minutes in the contest and finished the game with a plus-minus of +20, as Sulphur Springs outscored Pleasant Grove by one point per minute with her on the floor. 

The pair of sophomores also combined for five steals and pulled in six rebounds between the two of them. 

The win was a much-needed one, as it put the Lady Cats back to the .500 mark in district play. They currently sit in sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot, and do so with a two-game lead over Pittsburg. 

They will get the chance to all put secure their playoff bid Friday, as they host Pittsburg for a rematch from Jan. 10. If they are able to pick up another win, they will put three games between themselves and Pittsburg and would have the tie breaker in their head-to-head matchup.

The last time these two teams faced each other, Sulphur Springs picked up an impressive 58-38 victory. Willis, Jefferson and Roland all finished in double-digits, almost outscoring Pittsburg by themselves, with a combined 37 points.

A live broadcast of the match will be provided on Front Porch News and Chad’s Media. You can also subscribe to Chad’s Media to be notified when we go live.

[adning id=”33207″]



Written By
Tyler Lennon

Tyler Lennon is the sports editor for Front Porch News and Chad’s Media. Previously with the Sulphur Springs News-Telegram, Lennon has now covered sports in Hopkins County for four years. He also covers the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers and has media credentials for both the Rangers and the Mavericks. On top of his writing, Lennon is also the lead play-by-play broadcaster for Chad’s Media. He has been the lead broadcaster for Sulphur Springs football, volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball and more. He is also the host of the sports talkshow Down & Out on Chad’s Media, along side Korey Hankins and Ryan Humphries. You can follow Down & Out on all social medias @Downandout903