L-E sweeps Pitt; girls clinch playoff berth

TEXARKANA, Texas — The Liberty-Eylau Lady Leopards have clinched a playoff spot.

Liberty-Eylau rolled over Pittsburg, 61-41, in the District 15-4A varsity girls game Tuesday night at the Rader Dome, while the Leopards cruised to a 73-61 victory in the boys game over the Pirates.

Girls

Pittsburg had no answers for

Liberty-Eylau’s backside rebounding or defensive pressure Tuesday.

Daycoria Meadows led the Leopards defensively with three blocks, 12 rebounds and eight points.

Pittsburg started the second half in a full-court 3-2 zone on the Leopards inbound pass. The Pirates’ new defensive scheme initially gave L-E problems to begin the third quarter.

Ashyron Cooper added nine points for the Leopards and teammate Eliyah Howard chipped in 14 points, two steals with a rebound.

The Pirates trailed L-E by more than 20 to begin the final period, 43-22.

Kayla Crabtree led the Leopards in the first half with 10 points. Crabtree finished the game with 13 points and a rebound.

Pittsburg had no answer for L-E’s defensive pressure through the second quarter.

Ja’Niya Sanders ended the night with seven points, three rebounds and two steals, while teammate Breanna Webster added five points with three rebounds.

Liberty-Eylau went on a 13-4 run by the 3:17 mark in the second period.

The Leopards were able to hold the Pirates in single digits each of the first two quarters of the game.

Pittsburg trailed L-E, 34-10, at intermission.

The Pirates had no answer for the Leopards in the opening period.

Liberty-Eylau went on a 8-0 run

to lead Pittsburg, 12-4, before the Pirates called a timeout with 4:13 left in the period.

Meadows blocked a Pittsburg shot and went the length of the floor to the basket for the layup, giving L-E a double-digit cushion, 14-4.

Liberty-Eylau won the girls junior varsity game, 36-18. Bre Adams led the Leopards with 13 points.

Boys

Javon Hunter cleared the lane for a two-handed dunk midway through the third that ignited the Leopards’ offense.

Kentraile Atkins knocked down two consecutive field goals before Hunter’s second slam of the game, adding to the Leopards lead, 55-26.

Atkins ended with 17 points, seven rebounds and a steal for the Leopards.

Damian Henderson and Raikeem Harris each contributed five points apiece for L-E.

Liberty-Eylau forced six straight Pittsburg turnovers in the third quarter.

Beandre Wafer knocked down two shots from the charity stripe and also added an easy layup, adding to the Leopards advantage, 39-24.

Hunter led the L-E in the first half with 12 points. Hunter finished the game with 16 points, five blocks and 10 rebounds.

The Leopards transition offense allowed the hosts to build an early 10-point lead to start the game, 15-5.

Pittsburg hit three consecutive three-pointers, slicing the Leopards advantage, 17-11, at the 2:15 mark in the first period.

L-E’s double-digit lead allowed for reserves to run the Pirates midway through the first period.

Pittsburg trailed L-E, 23-13, at the end of the first quarter.