Lady Lions hang on for playoff win

BOGATA, Texas—Sarah Hunt, a junior point guard who scored 32 points for Paris Chisum, missed a running 10-foot shot at the buzzer, and New Boston held on for 58-57 Class 3A bi-district victory at Lady Rebel Gym on Monday.

New Boston seemed well in command with a 56-46 lead with a little over two minutes left.

But the Lady Mustangs pulled within 56-55 with 1:04 left, and took the lead, 57-56, with two free throws by Hunt with 20 seconds left.

Two free throws by New Boston’s Carleigh Reeves gave the Lady Lions the lead, 58-57, with 15 seconds left. New Boston hung on for the victory.

Hunt had 17 points in the fourth quarter for Paris Chisum.

In a close game in the first quarter New Boston (20-12) led 15-13 with Chloe Davis sinking a pair of 3-point shots from the right corner.

The score was still close, 20-18, in the first two minutes of the second quarter before the Lions went on an 11-0 run to take a 31-18 halftime lead.

Davis started the big run with her fourth basket from downtown, and the Lions began to pull away as Maggie Taylor chipped in with six points.

New Boston started off cold in the third quarter making only 1 of 10 field goal shots with most shots coming after offensive rebounds.

Despite the slow start, New Boston still led at the end of the third quarter, 44-31.

The Mustangs pulled within 45-40 at the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter before a 3-point shot by the Lions’ Grace Duffer made it 48-40. But the Mustangs fought back and made it a close contest with a late rally.

New Boston’s leading scorer was Reeves with 18 points, and Davis added 12.

The Lions will play either Daingerfield or White Oak in the area round later this week.