The Escambia Academy Lady Cougars are headed to the Alabama Independent Schools’ Association state tournament after a 55-32 win over Bessemer Academy in the regional tournament in Selma Thursday night.

Coach David Walker praised EA’s defensive effort.

“I told the kids before the game that we’d win this on defense rather than offense,” he said.

Nine different Lady Cougars scored on offense, but the team was led by Grayson Emmons with 16 points and Lacie Flowers with 14.

“We do better when we run the ball,” Walker said. “We got a lot of fast breaks. When Lacie scores in double figures it’s usually because we’re running.”

In addition, Peyton Snider scored nine points and Paige Allen added six for the Lady Cougars.

Sydney McGhee led the team with 12 rebounds. Allen grabbed 10 boards and Snider got nine.

Flowers led the team with five assists, while three other players had three assists each.

EA joins Fort Dale Academy and Monroe Academy as teams from the north area of the region to make the state tournament.

Regional tournament action continued tonight when the Lady Cougars took on the No. 1 seed from the north area, Tuscaloosa Academy, but results weren’t available as of press time.