Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolverettes Upset Regional Tournament Favorites; Go To State In 1996

So-called "experts" counted the Wolverettes out early for the 1995-96 basketball season.

These "experts" had Prescott's senior girls picked to finish fourth in the 7-AA, and do next to nothing in the district tournament. They were close in their pick on where the Wolverettes would finish in the league, as Prescott ended the season third with a 4-2 mark.

With their league ranking, the Wolverettes were forced to play three games in the district tourney, held in Gurdon.

They opened tourney play with a 39-20 win over Stamps, and pummelled De Queen in the second round 62-40 to meet the Lady Devils in the finals.

Gurdon had whipped Prescott twice during the regular season, each time by slim margins.

Cecily Butler's squad, however, was more than ready for round three and cooled Gurdon's heels with a 60-45 win.

This win didn't come easy, as Gurdon held a 36-31 lead at the end of three periods of play.

Then the Wolverettes showed up, forcing turnovers and converting them into baskets and the district crown.

From their trip to Gurdon, the Wolverettes travel plans expanded to include Star City, where they weren't picked to advance beyond the first or second round at best.

The "experts" didn't think Prescott had what it took to deal with McGehee, who fell 49-47.

Then, they said the Wolverettes had no chance at all against Drew Central.

The Lady Pirates were plundered by the Prescott brigands 67-60 as the Wolverettes were on a mission to make it to the state playoffs for the first time in school history.

Following the win over Drew Central, the Prescott crew had a date in the finals with hosts, Star City.

The Lady Bulldogs were given the nod by the "experts" who said Prescott didn't have the depth, size or speed to play with Star City.

For a while it appeared as if these "experts" knew what they were talking about, but in the end, the Wolverettes proved them wrong once again, even though they needed an overtime to finish the job with a 73-68 win, thereby earning a trip to the state playoffs in Vilonia.

For three periods, the Lady 'Dogs held the Wolverettes at bay, leading 18-12 after one and being up 38-29 at halftime. By the end of three, the home team held a lead of 52-43, but the Wolverettes were just getting warmed up.

Even though they had trailed by as many as 12 in the game, Butler's brawlers never gave up on themselves.

As play began in the final eight minutes, the cavalry came over the hill for Prescott.

Wherever the ball was, a Wolverette was nearby. Prescott's girls fought, kicked, bit and battled, but still trailed by six with 2:30 left.

Though it looked dim, the Prescott five had another ace left up their sleeves.

Despite a home crowd and the lead, the Lady 'Dogs found themselves unable to respond to the tenacious pressure exhibited by the rabid Wolverettes, who chewed Star City up and spit them out.

The pressure put on by Prescott resulted in turnovers converted into points and fouls, also turned into scores.

Still, with less than a minute to play, the Lady 'Dogs led 60-59 as Laura Culpepper sank one and was fouled.

A Star City player was nailed with a technical foul for arguing with the officials. This gave Prescott three shots with no pressure -- other than time running out and a close game.

Culpepper's free throw drew nothing but iron and bounced harmlessly away.

Ashlea Stewart stepped forward for the technical shots. Her first bounced off the side of the rim. The home crowd exploded in an attempt to disrupt Stewart's concentration on the second shot, but was ineffective as the cords parted with the ball safely falling through, tying the game.

Both squads swapped baskets as regulation play ended.

However, the game was already over. The Lady 'Dogs and home crowd just didn't know it until after the overtime ended, as the Wolverettes owned the extra period.

The win in the regional tournament earned Prescott a trip to Vilonia and the first round of the state playoffs.

This is where the dream ended for the young Wolverettes, as they succumbed to Pulaski Academy 66-48 in a game not indicative of how the Wolverettes play.

The Prescott five suffered turnover problems in the first quarter, allowing the Lady Bruins to build a 12-0 lead. At the end of the frame, PA led 19-8.

The Wolverettes cut the lead to six at the half, 33-27 by pressing and forcing PA into turning the ball over themselves.

The Cinderella squad kept fighting in the third period, but was unable to do more than just stay close as the Lady Bruins led 45-38 at the end of three.

While the Wolverettes had lived by comebacks throughout tournament play, this time it wasn't meant to be, as they went cold in the final eight minutes and were forced into a must-foul situation.

Prescott lost two seniors from the 96 squad. Butler brought back the core of the team, which is hungry for another trip to the state playoffs, hopefully ending in a visit to the Pine Bluff Convention Center March 15.