By By Chandler Myers
A win on senior night for the Escambia Academy Lady Cougars proved to be the icing on the cake of what has been a down season that has seen the Lady Cougars fall to 5-11.
The Lady Cougars picked up the win 48-45 win over the Marengo Lady Longhorns with late game heroics and a surge of points in overtime.
Lady Cougars head coach Heath Gibson said his team earned the win against the Lady Longhorns was deserved because of his team’s effort.
In the first quarter, both teams started slow after the tip off and had trouble putting points on the board. The Lady Longhorns won the quarter by putting up seven points to the Lady Cougars’ six.
Marengo began to pull away in the second quarter as they picked up their offense and added 14 more points, while the Lady Cougars could only manage seven more heading into halftime. As the teams went to the locker rooms the Lady Longhorns led 21-14.
Gibson said missed shots were the problem his team faced throughout the first half.
The Lady Cougars fought their way back in the second half, and made a run for a victory.
In the third quarter, the Lady Cougars battled with the Lady Longhorns and put up nine points, but still allowed the visiting team to outscore them by one point.
The fourth quarter saw the Lady Cougars mount a huge comeback as they poured 16 points onto the scoreboard and only allowed the Lady Longhorns to put up eight sending the game into overtime tied at 39.
In overtime, the Lady Cougars continued to score as they put up nine points in the extra period and only gave up six to earn their fifth victory of the season.
Gibson said the win was huge for his team because of how they won the game.
Sophomores Taylor Helton and KayLeigh Miller led the Lady Cougars with nine points apiece. Helton also pulled down eight boards, blocked three shots, two steals and two assists. Miller posted five assists, four steals and two rebounds in the win.
Lady Cougars senior guard Alaina Arnold added seven points, while recording three rebounds, one assist and one steal.
EA sophomore Amber Huskey chipped in six points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Cougars. Huskey also had three blocks, three steals and one assist.
Senior Malori McGhee and sophomore Kristen Matthews each scored four points. McGhee also pulled down six rebounds, snagged three steals and had an assist. Matthews posted two rebounds, two steals and one assist in the win.
Sophomores Rachel Fuller and Samantha Lee scored two points in the winning effort. Fuller had a rebound, while Lee had a rebound and an assist in the win.