Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Bradley Gets Even; Beasts Wolverettes In Tourney Finals

Pulling off a hat-trick at the Southwest Arkansas Invitational Basketball Tournament in Saratoga was not in the cards for the Prescott Wolverettes.

The Prescott five had won the tourney the past two years and were looking to make it three in a row. However, they ran into Bradley in the finals, with the Lady Bears looking for a measure of revenge after losing to the Wolverettes in the Prescott Classic.

When all was said and done, the Lady Bears went home with a 69-63 win, and handing Prescott its second loss of the year.

Fouls proved to be more than the Wolverettes could overcome late in the game, as Traci Graham and Amanda Hodges sat out a good deal of the second half with four each.

The game began with Andrea Cossey getting the tip, but seeing the Wolverettes turn the ball over.

Bradley took advantage of the mistake by scoring with 7:39 showing and going up 2- 0.

The Lady Bears took a 6-0 lead before the Wolverettes could find the bottom of the net, this coming from Stacy Stockton at 6:19.

Bradley's offense was patient and worked the ball around the perimeter, looking for the best shot. The Lady Bear defense was a tight man-to-man defense. It was so tight members of the Bradley team appeared to be siamese twins with Prescott players.

The Lady Bears went up 8-2 before the Wolverette offense got in gear and reeled off five straight points to cut the gap to 8-7 with 3:59 left in the first.

Prescott took the lead, 11-10, for the first time with 2:42 showing and stretched it to a 17- 12 advantage when Stockton nailed a shot at the buzzer.

Bradley kept pressure on the Wolverettes the entire game, and up and down the entire 94- foot court.

There was little scoring early in the second as the two defenses stymied one another's offense, and clean shots were hard to come by.

With 6:31 left, both teams had scored once to make it 19-14.

But, Prescott began working to increase its lead with Hodges getting the ball to Stockton who winged a pass to Jeanie Haynie for two.

Bradley, though, came to play and brought a sack lunch for the long haul.

Whatever Prescott did to pull away, the Lady Bears responded to in an effort to stay close. The game went back and forth, with neither able to gain a serious advantage or put the other on ice.

Fouls, though, began piling up, slowing the game and keeping Bradley's girls closer than they may have been able to be otherwise.

Halftime came with Prescott still up by five with the score 32-27.

When the second half began, it was still anybody's game.

Prescott turned the ball over, with Bradley cutting the gap to 32-29.

Stockton retaliated by driving the lane, getting fouled and dropping both free throws in the bottom of the hole.

The Wolverettes were able to get as much as nine points up, but were unable to put Bradley away.

Hodges left the game with four fouls at the 3:44 mark of the third, with Prescott up 42-35, with Graham leaving with 1:46 left and the score 44-40.

Bradley moved its game to the next level as the period ended with Prescott leading 46- 44.

The final eight minutes belonged to the Lady Bears as they filled the passing lanes and stripped Wolverettes of the ball, converting the turnovers into points at the other end.

Bradley would go up by as many as eight, only to see Prescott fight back. But, the Wolverettes were unable to regain the lead and fell by six.

Stockton had the hot hand for Prescott, scoring 24 points in the game. Cossey contributed 16 in the outing, with Graham adding 10.

Carone Harris led all scorers with 25 for Bradley, while Tina Harris stroked the nets for 20. Iesha Manning followed with 18.

The Wolverettes made it to the finals by first whipping an old foe Gurdon's Lady Go- Devils 60-48.

The game wasn't as close as the final score indicates.

Prescott jumped all over Gurdon in the opening period, taking a 23-10 lead at the end of one.

The Wolverettes apparently repealed the 14th Amendment when it comes to Gurdon's Lady Devils, as they have come to own them on the hardwood.

Early on it was evident the Lady Devils were out of their depth as they were unable to keep pace with Prescott's fleetness of foot.

With 3:31 left in the first, Prescott led 11-4 as the Wolverettes pretty much did what they wanted to do.

Gurdon got in foul trouble early, committing five in the first six minutes.

The Lady Devils also played their typical physical style, with the game looking like a rugby scrum at times.

Period two was much like period one. Prescott did what it wanted and Gurdon fought to stay in the game as best the Lady Devils could.

Hodges, getting a lot of playing time in the contest, made her presence known in the paint as she pulled down board after board and sent shot after shot down, ending the game with 11 points.

Coach Bill Cossey was able to substitute heavily in the game, working to see who played best together.

Halftime came with Prescott holding a 36-14 lead, as the defense gave up a scant four points in the period.

The Wolverettes didn't bother to warm up for the second half, instead going from the locker room to the bench to get a little extra rest.

The Lady Devils, though, did get in some shooting practice to start the third quarter, though it didn't help in the long run.

Prescott's offensive juggernaut was more than Gurdon could handle, as the Wolverettes added 16 to their tally by the end of the third.

With heavy substituting by Prescott, Gurdon was able to cut into the lead somewhat, with the score 52-25 at the buzzer.

Prescott's starting five were in to begin the fourth quarter, did their song and dance routine and returned to the bench, where they rooted the subs on.

The song and dance included a ball-handling clinic by Graham, who may have been auditioning for the Harlem Globetrotters the way she showed her dribbling skills.

The Wolverettes built the lead to 60-34 when Cossey put in a different five.

Gurdon pressed and battered the substitute players during the final two minutes, working the score closer than the game indicated.

Prescott was 16 of 19 from the line, while Gurdon converted six of 12 free throws.

Stockton led the Wolverettes with 16, while Cossey scored 12 and Hodges had 11.

Gurdon was led by LaVonda Young's 16.

After Gurdon, the Wolverettes had an emotional contest facing them against the Lady Dragons of Genoa Central.

Genoa is coached by Cecily Butler, who led the Wolverettes to the state playoffs as their coach for two years.

The Lady Dragons gave Prescott all they wanted and then some, before falling 53-36

The Wolverettes, playing the third night in a row, managed an