A Dominating Defensive Performance propels Lady Bears to Victory!

Thursday, November 14, 2024: Women's Basketball

Goodman, MS

"Defense wins games and championships" has been Lady Bears Head Coach Paula Lee's philosophy for the past fifteen years at BRCC. Tonight, her Lady Bears squad put that philosophy into action with a dominating defensive performance, securing a 67-54 victory over the Holmes Lady Bulldogs at the Frank Branch Coliseum in Goodman, Mississippi.

Baton Rouge opened the game with a zone defense, which disrupted the Holmes Lady Bulldogs' offensive rhythm. This was the first time this season that the Lady Bulldogs faced a zone defense. J'Nyria Kelly got the Lady Bears on the board first with a two-point bucket, giving them an early lead that they would not relinquish. Freshman guards Shelcie LeBlanc and McKenzie Deville contributed the next 14 points for the Lady Bears (DeVille 5 | LeBlanc 9). With only three minutes left in the quarter, the Lady Bears held a commanding 18-3 lead over the Lady Bulldogs. Despite this, the Lady Bulldogs showed resilience by hitting back-to-back three-pointers at the end of the quarter to pull within 13, closing the score at 23-10. The Lady Bears finished the first quarter strong with their stringent defense, taking a 25-10 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Lady Bulldogs switched to a zone defense and full-court press, which disrupted the Lady Bears' offense. The Lady Bulldogs opened the quarter on a 6-0 run, narrowing the gap to nine points at 25-16. Sophomore guard Zoriahn Davis responded by scoring the next eight points for the Lady Bears, extending their lead to 33-22. The Lady Bears finished the quarter strong with contributions from Shelcie LeBlanc and DeZarae Stewart, leading 41-28 at halftime.

Holmes came out of the locker room after halftime on a 6-2 run, closing the gap to 43-34. The Lady Bulldogs increased the pace with a full-court press, forcing the Lady Bears into turnovers that resulted in points for Holmes. The Lady Bulldogs outscored Baton Rouge, in the third quarter 15-12, but the Lady Bears still held a ten-point lead at 53-43.

In the fourth quarter, the Lady Bears intensified their defensive efforts, holding the Lady Bulldogs to single possessions. The Lady Bulldogs struggled to find success in the paint against the Lady Bears' zone defense and relied heavily on outside shooting. The Lady Bears continued to force turnovers and limited the Lady Bulldogs' opportunities, leading to offensive success. The Lady Bears outscored the Lady Bulldogs 14-11 in the fourth quarter, securing the 67-54 victory.

Shelcie LeBlanc led the Lady Bears in scoring with a game-high 21 points. Nevaeh Craft and Bella Roberts each scored 10 points for the Lady Bulldogs. With this victory, Baton Rouge improved to 2-1, while Holmes fell to 3-2 on the season. Holmes still leads the all-time series against the Bears with 13 wins to 8 losses. This victory marked the first time in history that the Lady Bears defeated Holmes in Goodman, Mississippi.

Lady Bears Highlights:

Shelcie LeBlanc led all Lady Bears with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. 

Zoriahn Davis, Akiyah Carnes, and J'Nyria Kelly each added 8 points. 

McKenzie Deville contributed 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Looking ahead, the Lady Bears are scheduled to travel to Bay Minette, Alabama, on Saturday to compete against the Coastal Alabama North Coyotes at 2:00 PM.

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