The McCracken County Lady Mustangs played their final game of the Innisfree Hotels Beach Basketball Tournament in Pensacola, Florida on Friday night. Thanks to a huge fourth quarter run, they defeated the Green Hill Lady Hawks from Mt. Juliet, TN by a score of 59-45.
The Lady Mustangs started out scoring the first six points of the game, four of which coming from senior Mikee Buchanan. Their offense then fell silent for the remainder of the quarter, but minimal damage was done as they trailed just 9-6.
To open the second quarter, freshman LeZharia Bolen got herself on the board with a converted and-one after getting fouled on a layup. Green Hill went on another run after this, led by back-to-back threes by Regan Perkins, and extended their lead to 21-9. After some back-and-forth play in the middle part of the second, Claire Johnson scored five straight to end the half, bringing the Mustangs back from a 10-point deficit, trailing 22-18 with two quarters to play.
Jayden Skaggs had a great third quarter for McCracken, hitting a huge three right out of the break to cut the Lady Hawk lead to one, and later hitting a clutch shot to tie the game at 32.
Trailing by four entering the fourth quarter, the Lady Mustangs turned up the pressure and played some of the best basketball they have all year. Junior Ashley Word hit a jump shot early in the quarter that gave her team their first lead since the first period, 42-40. It was all gas and no brakes from there, with the Mustangs outscoring Green Hill 22-5 in the fourth quarter, and scoring 12 straight points to end the game.
McCracken finished undefeated throughout their three games in the tournament, winning this matchup 59-45. Johnson led the lead with 22 points, followed by Buchanan with 13. Skaggs added nine, Word put up seven, Reagan Hill added five and Bolen contributed three.
Johnson, Buchanan and Skaggs were all named to the All-Tournament team.
They open up the new year next Thursday when they play at Massac County at 7:30 p.m.