The Lady Cougar basketball team earned a 64-33 victory over the visiting Salem Spartans to kick off the River Ridge District tournament Friday. While the win advances the Lady Cougars to the championship round Tuesday against Patrick Henry, Head Coach Scott Ratcliff was not pleased with every aspect of his teams’ efforts.
“I guess we just think we can take plays off,” Coach Ratcliff said. “I watch our starters come down the court and blow past another player and score like it’s easy, then the next time they get the ball they’re just going through the motions? That’s just not going to cut it. We don’t practice like that and we’re not going to play like that. We need full commitment when our girls are out there.”
The Lady Cougars started the game with a 14-6 lead after the first quarter. They expanded that lead to 36-17 in the second quarter, but Coach Ratcliff still wasn’t happy.
“We have this bad habit of playing to the level of our opponent,” he said. “Championship teams don’t do that. Championship teams play hard, and they play tough. If a player isn’t going to do that, they’re not helping us out there. We need to get tougher because our opposition is going to be a lot better moving forward.”
The Lady Cougars continued to outscore the Spartans in the second half, even when starters spent less and less time on the court. Bu the end of the third quarter Pulaski County led 50-26. They continued to pull away in the fourth to earn the 64-33 win.
Keslyn Secrist led the Lady Cougars with 14 points. Kenzlee Jones had a good night with 12 points. Hannah Keefer scored 11 points and Paige Huff added 10. Andi Ratcliff chipped in six points. Tori Vest added five. Jaden Lawson scored four points. Morgan Vest scored two points, but also added a beautiful behind-the-back pass to Lawson for one of her baskets late in the game.
Salem was led by Emma Custer with 10 points, Gabby Crawley with eight, and Myla Green with seven points.
“I’ll give some credit to our bench tonight, they came in and put in some good minutes,” Ratcliff said. “Kenzlee Jones is going to be a real threat when we get her at a hundred percent. Andi Ratcliff, Morgan Vest, and Destiny Duncan have been doing a great job all season. We’ve been fortunate to get them some work through most of the season. We’re going to need them in the playoffs.”
The Lady Cougars will now host Patrick Henry in the River Ridge District Tournament Tuesday, February 14, with a 6 p.m. start time. The Lady Cougars have also locked in a first-round appearance for the Class 4, Region D playoffs, which is set for Friday, February 17, against an opponent not known at this time. That game will begin at 6 p.m. at PCHS.
Tickets are $7 at the door or $6 online through Ticket Spicket by credit or debit card with an .80 convenience fee. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday and concessions will be available. Winter Sports Passes are NOT VALID for Tournament Games.