Pictured is Presley Curry
The Mansfield 7th Grade Lady Tigers are a raw squad of go-getters. Many on the team haven’t ever played the game of basketball and those who have still need some polishing. With that being said, there is no lack of hustle or willingness to learn in any of these young ladies. With a win over Mountainburg and a close loss to 4A Mena, their talent alone has them headed to higher places. Their lack of experience came back to bite them on the tail though on Thursday, January 25th as the Lady Tigers hustle wasn’t enough to outshoot the Lavaca Lady Golden Arrows in a 24-7 loss.
Lavaca put the pressure on the inexperienced 7th Grade Lady Tigers from the tip off. As the game went on, Mansfield began crumbling under the pressure turning the ball over with ill-advised passes and off-point shots. Take the turnover game away though and Lavaca couldn’t score on the Lady Tigers. Mansfield was able to defensively hold off Lavaca when the two teams squared off five on five which showed some promise. Although the Lady Tigers fell to Lavaca, they are slowly but surely improving. This group of young Lady Tigers has something most other programs don’t have. Long term determination. Bringing in the points for the 7th grade Lady Tigers was Daisy Nelson with a nothin’ but net 3-pointer and Mackenzie Robinson and Carissa Vaughan with 2 points each.
On the Lady Tigers JV side of the ball, Mansfield showed their depth in the program with a 15-12 victory over Lavaca. The Lady Tigers felt the effect of their time away from the court at first but meshed together quickly to lay it on heavy on Lavaca. As the game progressed, so did Mansfield as they were able to shut down the speedy Golden Arrow offense. The offense sputtered off and on but was able to get clicking due to a solid defensive performance in the second half. Leading Mansfield to their victory was Kaylie Lowery with 5 points followed by Shelbie Fuller and Presley Curry with 4 points each and Trinity Triska with 2.
The Lady Tigers 7th Grade and JV squad have but only a few games left in their 2020-2021 season. But Mansfield’s progression throughout the season is something to take note of. Although their record may give a different impression, these ladies will be forces to be reckoned with in the near future!
