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Lady Tigers Cage Lady Dawgs
The Lady Tigers took home a 57-47 overtime vicotry against rival Jasper but it was a hard fought win with Silsbee’s Olevia Mitchell-Vaughn (2), who went down with an injury late in the game. Here’s to hoping she can return to the squad soon.
Mason Simon | The Silsbee Bee
Mason Simon reporter@silsbee-bee.com The Silsbee Bee SILSBEE — It was a cool, windy Friday evening on January 9th, with the energy palpable inside Tiger Den. The Tigers looked to defend their territory against the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Tigers went into Friday’s contest hot on the heels of a nail-biting 57-47 overtime victory over the Lumberton Lady Raiders a week prior. With the Lady Dogs having just made the same trip to Lumberton only three days earlier, outlasting the Lady Raiders 44-43. With both teams coming in on the heels of previous victories, this game was bound to be close. Members of Tiger Nation and The Dog Pack showed up to support these young ladies. Being loud and proud, making their voices heard throughout the game. Making this early January Game feel more like a 2nd- or 3rd-round playoff game, given how electric it felt courtside. The first quarter was a fast start for the Lady Tigers, within the first 3 minutes of the game, they rattled off a rapid 8-0 run against the Dawgs playing more of that suffocating defense that secured them the victory last time out at home against West Orange Stark. After capitalizing on fouls and quick turnovers, the Lady Tigers were able to secure a solid lead at the end of the first quarter. However, it wasn’t just Silsbee taking advantage of a little ‘refball’ as Silsbee’s physical, stifling defensive scheme can be more prone to drawing fouls than others; Jasper was able to chip away at the ten-point deficit from the end of the first to bring the game within five at the half. The real story of the first half was entwined within the several ticky-tacky fouls called on both teams. In the final 2 and a half seconds of the 2nd quarter, No. 4 Malia Foster of the Lady Tigers was fouled while trying to shoot a three-pointer at the end of the half, leading to a bit of controversy. After what seemed to be an eternity, Foster got her free throws, and the halftime score was 23-19, Silsbee in control. In the second half, both teams came back out and played with a determined mindset to win by any means necessary. Amping up the defensive play and making every possession that ended in a score mean significantly more. Trading offensive rebounds, turnovers, and taking advantage of the refball due to phantom traveling and double-dribble calls on both sides, giving both teams their opportunities from the free-throw line. Silsbee was the one making the correct adjustments from halftime, with No. 23 Madison Hill scoring 15 for the Lady Tigers in a gutsy performance from both teams that everyone from Silsbee and Jasper can be proud of. The final score was 51-39 in favor of the Lady Tigers. Their next test will be against Bridge City Lady Cards on January 13th, and they will be back home on Friday to play the LCM Lady Bears at 6 pm in the competition gym.
Kountze struggle to defend home court against Buna
A’Dyn Walton (4) was one for may Lions who weren’t able to get shots to fall against Buna Friday night.
Dylan Busby | The Silsbee Bee
Dylan Busby dylan@silsbee-bee.com The Silsbee Bee KOUNZTE — The Kountze Lions hosted district opponent Buna on Tuesday night, with both the boys and girls teams facing difficult outings as Buna used defensive pressure and sustained scoring runs to earn road victories. In the girls contest, Buna set the tone early with aggressive defense. A series of steals sparked an 11–4 opening run, forcing Kountze to play from behind. The Lionettes responded with improved effort, cutting the margin to 14–11, but Buna closed the first quarter strong to take a 25–14 lead. Offensive consistency proved difficult for Kountze in the second quarter as Buna continued to convert turnovers into points. The visitors steadily stretched the lead to 34–18 before heading into halftime up 44–22, despite a buzzer-beating basket by the Lionettes that briefly energized the home crowd. Kountze showed renewed determination after the break, leaning on senior leadership to generate offense. Senior Star Warren led the way with 15 points, attacking the basket and providing steady scoring throughout the second half. Fellow senior Yakinzeia Jubert added 10 points, helping stabilize the offense during key stretches. Freshman Kylie Denton also flashed her potential, scoring 10 points and giving the Lionettes a spark. Despite the effort, Buna maintained control in the third quarter and carried a 57–40 advantage into the fourth. Kountze continued to compete and trimmed the margin late, but Buna’s early separation held as the visitors secured a 69–52 win. The boys game opened competitively, with both teams trading baskets in a physical first quarter. Buna held a slim 25–23 edge after one before beginning to pull away late in the second quarter. Strong defensive pressure limited Kountze’s scoring chances, and Buna led 35–25 at halftime. The third quarter proved decisive, as Buna opened the half with a strong run to extend the lead to 46–28 with just over two minutes remaining. The advantage continued to grow, and Buna entered the fourth up 52–32 before closing out a 90–36 victory. Kountze will look to regroup as district play continues, focusing on execution and ball security, while Buna’s performances underscored the impact of sustained defensive pressure and tempo control.
