Priceville survives scare from Locust Fork

Published 5:08 pm Thursday, February 20, 2014

: Peyton Parker drives the ball against a Locust Fork defender. | Todd Barker

HANCEVILLE – No. 5 Priceville made its free throws down the stretch to survive Locust Fork 59-49 in the Class 4A Northwest Regional Thursday.

The Lady Bulldogs will take on No. 1 Oneonta Saturday at 3:40 p.m. The defending Class 4A champions defeated Rogers 52-28 Thursday night.

Priceville and Locust Fork were locked in a back-and-forth matchup through the first quarter. Emilee Cunningham made a field goal late in the quarter to give the Lady Bulldogs a 12-11 at the end of the period.

Priceville then scored the first eight points of the second quarter to take a 20-11 lead. Jada Beverly made a 3-point to extend the lead to 11 midway through the quarter.

Locust Fork cut the lead to 33-28 lead by halftime after Ashlyn Adkins made a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

After Alex Moore scored the opening basket of the second half, Locust Fork went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 35-34. The Lady Bulldogs answered with a 10-2 of its own to take a nine-point lead again.

Ashlee Quinn and McKenzie Parker both had 3-pointers in the run while Moore scored four tough points in the paint.

The Lady Hornets hit three more free throws to cut the lead to 45-39 at the end of the third quarter.

Locust Fork gave the Lady Bulldogs scares twice in the fourth quarter, once after Kimberly Horton made a 3-pointer to open the stanza and when Kristen Cox cut the lead to 51-49 with less than three minutes to play.

That would be as close as it got, as Priceville hit its shots down the stretch to clinch the game.

Jada Beverly led Priceville with 18 points including 8-for-8 from the foul line. Cunningham finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds followed by Moore with 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals.

Peyton Parker added seven points and nine assists while McKenzie Parker had six points and four rebounds and Quinn had the one 3-pointer.