Thursday, December 31, 2015

SPORTS STORY >> Cabot girls finish sixth of 32 teams

By RAY BENTON 
Leader sports editor

After winning two games on Monday, the Lady Panther basketball team went 1-1 on Tuesday and lost its final game on Wednesday to finish sixth in the Spring Creek Barbecue Invitational Tournament in Mansfield, Texas. Cabot beat Mansfield-Legacy 48-33 to open the tournament, and then advanced to the quarterfinals with a 26-22 win over Southlake-Carroll.

In Tuesday’s quarterfinal game, the Lady Panthers fell to South Grand Prairie 32-29. Cabot (9-6) held a 21-12 lead at halftime, but managed just eight points in the second half. SGP’s Kayla Wells was the game’s only player to score in double figures, finishing with 13 points. The Lady Panthers stayed alive and advanced to the final round of the double elimination tournament with a 51-44 win over Pflugerville High.

This time Cabot trailed at halftime, 27-25, but came back for the win. Senior guard CoCo Calhoon led all scorers with 14 points while Josie Vanoss added 10 for the Lady Panthers.

In Wednesday’s fifth-place game, the Lady Panthers lost 46-39 to Allen High in their fifth game in three days. Allen led from pillar to post after taking a 15-9 lead in the first quarter. Cabot cut the margin to 25-21 by halftime, but Allen extended the lead to 39-30 by the end of the third quarter.

Vanoss and Anna Sullivan each scored 11 points to lead Cabot. Nyah Green led Allen with 16 points while De’Anira Moore added 11.

The Lady Panthers are off until Friday when they open 7A/6A-East Conference play with a big road game at North Little Rock (10-3).