Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Pulaski Academy Ends Wolverettes Cinderella Season, 66-48

Sometimes, the best team doesn't win.

Take, for example, Prescott's Wolverettes against Pulaski Academy.

Though the Wolverettes had the better team, they also posted an off night shooting and were eliminated from the AA State Tournament, held Feb. 29 in Vilonia.

The final score of 66-48, was not indicative of how the Wolverettes were capable of playing.

In the first period, Prescott suffered a severe case of turnover-itis. The Wolverettes coughed the ball up on their first eight possessions.

This allowed the Lady Bruins of Pulaski Academy to build a 12-0 lead and never have to look back.

It took the Wolverettes more than four minutes before they scored their first point.

The first period ended with PA ahead 19-8.

However, the Wolverettes all are familiar with showed up in the second eight minutes, and cut into the Lady Bruins lead.

Prescott's quintet pressed and pressed hard. The second quarter saw the Lady Bruins turn the ball over, as the Wolverettes had narrowed the gap to 33-27 at the half.

The Wolverettes continued their attack in the third period. Jessica Hildebrand was nearly perfect in the frame as she connected on two of three shots and a pair of free throws.

Leslie Hines canned a three-pointer, while Laura Culpepper nailed a deuce.

The problem in the period, though, was Ashlea Stewart missed all of her shots, as did Gladies Gulley and Stacy Stockton.

Still, the Wolverettes were in the game as the third quarter buzzer sounded with the score 45-38.

Prescott had lived by comebacks throughout the district and regional tournaments. It appeared as though they would do it again in the opening round of the state tourney.

The Wolverettes cut the gap to 45-41 early in the fourth period, as Culpepper scored five quick points, Gulley added two, as did Stockton.

However, these were the only points Prescott would score in the final eight minutes as it appeared as though someone put a lid on their basket.

The Wolverettes took shot after shot, with many being open shots, but were unable to convert.

Cold shooting on the Prescott side and hot hands from the Lady Bruins forced the Wolverettes into a must-foul situation.

Pulaski Academy was incredible at the free throw line in the final eight minutes as they connected on 13 of 21 attempts to put the game out of reach.

Stockton led Prescott's offense with 14 points. Hildebrand was next in line with 10.

Culpepper added nine to Prescott's total, while Gulley scored seven. Hines followed suit with six. Stewart had an extremely cold night with only two points, those coming in the second quarter.

The Lady Bruins were paced by Sara Peeples' 18 points. Kate Dodd sent 12 through the net, while Kim Williams scored 11.

The Lady Bruins were 18 of 28 from the stripe, while Prescott was five of 12 in free throw attempts.

"The girls are disappointed," Cecily Butler, Wolverette coach, said, "but they would have been disappointed unless they won it all.

"I'd rather be disappointed in the state tournament than in the regionals or district."

Butler said the loss doesn't take away from the high of winning the district and regional titles, though.

"I wish we'd had a chance to play Pocahontas (who plays in the state finals against Vilonia Saturday in the Pine Bluff Convention Center)," she said.

"They outrebounded us. They went all out for everything under the board. That's where we got beat. We got off one shot, they got three or four."

Butler said PA had a strong inside defense and picked the Prescott defense apart offensively.

"It was a tough way to go out," she said. "But we got farther than anyone thought we'd go.

"The girls are still down, but they'll be OK in a couple of weeks. They got a taste of what they need to do next year; and should be hungry for it (the state title). But it won't be easy.

"We had fun this year," Butler continued. "When we got to where we got this unexpectedly, it's fun.

"During the (district and regional) tournament we had good play from everyone. If someone was having an off night, someone else would step up and do the job.

"But when we got to state, we saw ourselves in the mirror. The five of us were not on and it cost us the game. We had a cold second half and all those turnovers in the first quarter."

Still, Butler said she's proud of her team, and will begin working toward next season's quest for the state title soon.

In the tournaments, though, Laura Culpepper and Gladies Gulley were named All District, while Leslie Hines and Stockton received honorable mentions.

Stewart and Gulley were named All-State players, with honorable mentions going to Hildebrand and Culpepper.

Ashlea Stewart also was named as a tourney All Star.