In the District 28 championship game, CAL faced a foe named the Lady Eagles for the second Friday in a row in their own nest. However, this flock of Eagles wasn't able to overcome the weapons of the Lady Centurions who managed to knock them off their perch by a score of 55-35.

 

Stats to follow...

Game scoring

End of 1st quarter: CAL 12 Eastern 2

Halftime: CAL 27 Eastern 16

End of 3rd quarter: CAL 31 Eastern 23

Final: CAL 55 Eastern 35

 

CAL's early run was sparked by a pair of 3-pointers by Antonita Slaughter and some fast break points off turnovers. Eastern settled down in the 2nd quarter and the teams traded baskets until halftime with CAL holding an 11-point advantage. In the 3rd quarter, Eastern switched to a zone and CAL took some ill-advised quick shots, allowing Eastern's Chalyse Taylor and Asia Nichols to find a few openings and temporarily reduce the lead to six points. However, when the Lady Centurions returned to patience on offense and worked the ball, the result was either a bucket or a foul, more often the latter. Allison Karst removed any doubt by hitting 11 of 12 free throws to extend the lead in the final period.

 

Scoring

CAL: Slaughter 15 (9 rebounds), Karst 15 (5 rebounds), Buchanan 12 (5 rebounds, 2 blocks), Woods 6, Walden 3, Reese 2, Hart 1 (4 rebounds), Marshall 1

Eastern: C. Taylor 7, Nichols 7, S. Taylor 5 (6 rebounds), Woods 4 (9 rebounds), Trowell 4, Murphy 3, Hamilton 3, Hays 2

 

This game was the extreme opposite of last Friday's game against the Lady Eagles of Lexington Christian when few fouls were called in a physical game that drained CAL's ill and injured players. This time around, fouls were being called so quickly that a local TV cameraman was hoping for just one possession and basket to record without the officials stopping play. All in all, 48 fouls were called in a game that wasn't nearly as physical as the one last week, making it difficult for teams to adapt.

 

Sideline note: This was CAL Coach Don Rice's 200th win, celebrated after the game with a signed team ball, a basket of congratulation cards, cupcakes, and lots of photos and hugs.

 

On to the rugged 7th Region tournament for both...