By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot Lady Panthers upped their season record to 3-2 with a hard-fought 61-53 road victory over Paragould on Tuesday.
Three players finished in double figures for Cabot, led by senior and Razorback signee Melissa Wolff, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Junior Elliot Taylor also had a double-double performance with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Senior post player Laci Boyett added 10 points and five rebounds while Sydney Wacker pulled down six rebounds.
“I thought they did an excellent job on the boards and on defense,” Cabot coach Carla Crowder said. “They continue to get better. The girls are excited about their improvement.”
The Lady Panthers took a 17-16 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 29-24 at halftime, but the Lady Rams stayed within striking distance in the second half.
Cabot outscored Paragould 13-9 in the third quarter to set the stage for a fourth-quarter shootout in which the Lady Rams scored 20 and the Lady Panthers scored 18 points.
“It was a close game,” Crowder said. “They are a very good team. They are a lot like we are, so we were excited to go in and get a win at their place.”
The Lady Panthers also helped their cause by shooting 85 percent from the free-throw line.
Next up for the Cabot teams will be the first games in their new gymnasium for the invitational tournament starting Monday. The Lady Panthers will open the first round against Harding Academy at 6 p.m. Monday. The Cabot boys will follow at 7:30 p.m.
