Behind a dominant first-quarter surge and a balanced scoring attack, the Pulaski County Lady Cougars cruised to a 71-39 victory over the Magna Vista Warriors on Thursday night. With the win, the Lady Cougars move to 19-4 to finish the regular season.
The Lady Cougars established control immediately, erupting for 30 points in the opening frame while holding Magna Vista to just 12. Pulaski County’s defensive pressure and transition game proved too much for the visitors to overcome as the lead swelled to 43-17 by halftime.
Pulaski County saw contributions across the roster, with three players reaching double figures. Cha Cha Ratcliff-Calfee led all scorers with 14 points, fueled by an 8-point performance in the first quarter. Ellie McDonald provided a massive spark in the third period, scoring 10 of her 13 total points during that stretch.
Ellie Russell anchored the interior, finishing with 11 points and a perfect 5-for-6 showing from the free-throw line. Raiven Hughes and Palyn Sweet added in nine points each. Kaliyah Green scored five points. Olivia King and Peyton Harper scored four points each. Dayonna Lewis rounded out the scoring with two points.
Magna Vista found some offensive rhythm in the second half, led by Kaitlyn Dalton, who finished with a team-high 16 points, including a strong 10-point showing in the fourth quarter. Aaliyah Williams added 13 points for the Warriors, but the early deficit proved too steep to climb.
The Lady Cougars' efficiency was the story of the night. After the initial 30-point burst, Pulaski County remained consistent, adding 13, 20, and 8 points in the subsequent quarters.
Defensively, Pulaski County kept the Warriors in check for most of the night, limiting them to single-digit scoring in both the second and third quarters (5 and 9 points, respectively).
Pulaski County will open up the Region Tournament with a home game, currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, with a 6 p.m. tipoff. The opponent for that game should be known Friday.
The Pulaski County junior varsity squad set the tone for the evening, closing out their season with a hard-fought 42-25 victory to avenge a narrow road loss from earlier this month.
In a defensive battle that opened the night's double-header, the young Lady Cougars flipped the script on a Magna Vista team that had edged them out 46-42 just one week prior. Pulaski County relied on a stifling second-half defense to secure the win, holding the Warriors to just 11 points after the intermission.
The victory allows the JV squad to end their campaign on a high note, demonstrating significant growth since their first meeting with the Warriors and completing a program sweep for the night in the Cougar Den.
Jovi Perdue led the way with 23 points for the Lady Cougars. Charisma Jones backed her up with 11 points. Karleigh Huff chipped in four points. Ray Anderson and Bethany Moles added two points each in the win.
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