Lady Eagles escape Wildcats’ den with win

The Lady Eagles of Morrison jumped out to an early lead, but had to hold on for dear life Monday night as Dibrell came within a point of a come-from-behind victory.

The Lady Wildcats fought their way back from a 7-0 deficit, and took the lead for much of the second half, only to fall just short, losing 24-23.

Miki Rogers led the way for Morrison’s girls, scoring 12 points, includin her team’s first five. But trailing 7-0, the Lady Wildcats went to the post and Sarah Roller, who scored back-to-back buckets late in the first. Lauren Wilkinson, pulled up from the fifth- and sixth-grade squad along with Mary Roller, added a late basket, and the Lady Wildcats trailed 7-6 after one period.

A Rogers 3-pointer helped Morrison widen the gap early in the second, but Wilkinson scored two straight baskets to pull her team within a point, and Sarah Roller put back a missed shot after pulling a rebound away from a Lady Eagle defender to give Dibrell a 12-11 lead.

Shelbie Tubbs scored with 1:37 to play for the Lady Eagles, however, and Morrison went into the locker room with a narrow 15-14 halftime edge.

Two quick baskets from Tubbs opened the second half, giving Morrison a 19-14 advantage, but the Lady Wildcats controlled the rest of the period, scoring eight unanswered points ? the final six from Sarah Roller ? and led 22-19 entering the game’s final stanza.

They maintained that lead for much of the fourth quarter, as both offenses struggled to find the basket. Tubbs hit the front end of a pair of free throws with 4:32 to play, and drove the lane to score with 1:47 remaining, putting her team a point away from the Dibrell lead.

With 1:31 left, Rogers nailed a 12-footer, giving the Lady Eagles a 24-23 advantage, and although Sarah Roller and Ashley Ashburn both went to the free-throw stripe, they were unable to connect. Rogers and Shelby Hillis also came up empty on the line, and with four seconds to play, Dibrell was able to set up a play for a potential game-winning bucket.

Wilkinson got the ball and put up a jumper, but her effort was just off the mark, clanging off the rim and allowing Morrison to escape with the one-point win.

In addition to Rogers’ 12 points, the Lady Eagles got 10 from Tubbs and two from Shelby Eldridge in their winning effort.

Sarah Roller led Dibrell with a dozen points of her own, while Wilkinson had six and Mary Roller had three. Lindsey Driver rounded out the Lady Wildcats’ total with two points.