Victoria Advocate
Neither Cuero nor Bay City was especially pleased with what transpired Friday night at the Columbus gym.
But the Lady Gobblers departed in a much better mood, after capturing a 48-31 Class 4A area win over the Ladycats.
“I think it’s always good to face adversity and come out on the right side of it,” said Cuero head coach Amy Crain.
“The girls battled. We got in foul trouble, they came back, we got behind. But credit to the kids. We just kind of stuck to our guns and the kids that came in and stepped up and created some turnovers and some rebounds.”
The Lady Gobblers improved to 34-3 and advanced to the regional quarterfinals against Fredericksburg, an 85-38 winner over Brazosport.
The game has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Smithson Valley.
Cuero outscored Bay City (16-16) 25-6 to close out the game, but saw a 13-point first-quarter lead disappear when the Ladycats scored the first six points of the third quarter to take a 25-23 lead.
“I thought we got out-rebounded, out-toughed a little bit in the physical part of the game,” Crain said.
“But give the girls credit they finished strong.”
Bay City began to turn the game around in the second quarter when its full-court press created a number of turnovers and set up some transition baskets.
“That’s what my vision is,” said Bay City head coach Chandi Jones.
“The way we played in the second quarter is the way I want us to play.”
Cuero starters Aubrey Bowles and Mauryana Dasilva fouled out, but the Lady Gobblers did a much better job of handling Bay City’s pressure in the second half.
Arissa Carbonara paced Cuero with 17 points, and Lainee Ballin added 13.
“When we get nervous with turnovers and stuff, we just need to come together and listen to what coach Crain says,” said Cuero senior Lainee Ballin.
“She has a plan for everything. We just had to calm down and relax each other. She slowed the game down to our speed.”
Bay City’s Khylee Perry fouled out in the third quarter, and the Ladycats scored only six points in the final 14:49 of the game.
“For us to make the second round, I think a lot of people are shocked,” Jones said.
“But to have the kind of program we want, the girls have to dedicate themselves to work on their skills in the offseason and in the summer.”
Crain knows the Lady Gobblers will have to play better against Fredericksburg.
“Fredericksburg is tough,” she said. “They’ve been there, done that many times. They are a well-coached machine. We’re going to put together a plan and we’re going to get after them.”
Class 4A Area
Cuero 48, Bay City 31
Cuero 16 7 12 13 – 48
Bay City 7 12 8 4 – 31
Points: (C) Aubrey Bowles 7, Arissa Carbonara 17, Jaydie Cooper 7, Lainee Ballin 13, Emree Dasilva 4. (BC) Ja’Miah Smith 2, Sasha Onwuchekwa 1, Madison Thrift 9, Khylee Perry 9, Alizia Gonzales 8, Malorie Richardson-Clay 4.
Halftime: Cuero 23-19. 3-pointers: Cooper 2, Ballin,Thrift, Gonzales. Records: Cuero 34-3; Bay City 16-16.