BLOG: Lafayette girls rally for 2-4A tournament title
Published 11:03 pm Friday, February 19, 2016
RIPLEY — Lafayette’s girls basketball team outscored Byhalia 20-6 in the fourth quarter to rally for a 48-36 win in the Region 2-4A tournament championship game Friday at the Ripley High Event Center.
The win earned the Commodores (20-6) a No. 1 seed in the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs beginning next week. Lafayette will host Shannon in the opening round Monday at 7 p.m.
Lafayette trailed 30-28 after three quarters, but back-to-back buckets from Shaniyah Buford to start the fourth gave the Commodores their first lead of the game. Buford, who scored a game-high 25 points, scored Lafayette’s first nine points of the quarter as the Commodores opened the quarter on an 11-0 run to take control.
The Commodores pushed the lead to double digits midway through the final quarter and led by as many as 15. Buford scored 12 of her points in the quarter.
Chelsea Allen added six points for Lafayette. Kavacia Johnson paced Byhalia with 15 points while Tijanna Powell chipped in nine points, but the Commodores’ stifling man defense wore on the Indians, who scored just 11 second-half points after leading 25-18 at the break.
See Sunday’s edition of the EAGLE for complete coverage of Friday’s game.