The Escambia County girls’ basketball team started fast on its way to a 66-57 win over area foe Morgan Academy.

The win moves the Lady Cougars to 13-4 overall and 2-2 in the area.

EA had four players in double figures in the win including Lacie Flowers, who led the team with 20 points on nine-of-14 shooting. Grayson Emmons scored a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Peyton Snider scored 14 points on six-of-nine shooting and grabbed nine boards. Sydney McGhee added 10 points on five-of-nine shooting and grabbed six rebounds.

EA began the game on an 8-1 run with Flowers scoring six of the eight points. A bucket by Paige Allen gave the Lady Cougars a 16-3 lead. Emmons hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to end the first quarter at 21-7.

An Emmons basket halfway through the second quarter increased the Lady Cougar lead to 20 at 29-9, but Morgan Academy scored four straight points to cut into the lead at 29-13 with 4:30 left.

Morgan further cut into the lead at 31-18, outscoring the Lady Cougars 11-10 at the 2:30 mark of the second quarter.
EA took a 39-20 lead into halftime.

A Flowers three-point play increased the Lady Cougar lead to 20 at the start of the fourth quarter. With 5:49 left in the game, EA led 59-41, but Morgan began to rally, cutting the lead to 10 with 1:45 left in the game and down to six 18 seconds later. EA went back up by nine at 66-57 and held on to win.

“We could score when we needed to,” said EA coach David Walker. “We were trying to get the ball to reserves who hadn’t scored all year.”