Lady Lions close regular season with two home victories, win first round of districts
Photo by Karla Smith Bakersfield’s Abby Guffey drives around Dora defender Andrea Martin during Tuesday’s game at Bakersfield. Bakersfield won, 44-37, ending the regular season with a 14-12 record.
The Bakersfield Lady Lions closed out the regular season in fitting fashion, defending their home floor with back-to-back victories and sending their seniors out on a high note. The Lady Lions followed that up with a 40-37 upset over Fordland in the Class 2 District 10 tournament Monday.
“It was nice to return home and play our last two regular-season games there,” Lady Lions head coach Doug Lansdown said after Tuesday’s win over Dora.
On Monday, Feb. 16, Bakersfield overcame a sluggish start to defeat Van Buren 51-41. The Lady Lions fell behind by 12 points early but battled back to trim the deficit to three by halftime before taking control in the second half.
“Our depth was the difference in the game as we wore down Van Buren and forced them into several turnovers,” Lansdown said.Balanced scoring fueled the comeback, with nine players finding the basket. Abby Guffey led the way with nine points, while Keely Stevens and Kelsey Cotter added eight points apiece. Aubrey Luna finished with seven points, and Carrleigh Green chipped in six.
On the boards, Alyssa Gailey and Stevens grabbed five rebounds each. Guffey and Luna sparked the defense and transition game with four assists and four steals apiece.
Bakersfield returned to the court Tuesday, Feb. 17 and capped the regular season with a 44-37 victory over Dora, which was a good sendoff for seniors Paige Crites, Keely Stevens and Lily Williams.
“It was a nice way to end our regular season and get our three seniors a final home victory,” Lansdown said.
The Lady Lions built a sizeable early lead before Dora rallied to make it competitive down the stretch. Bakersfield held firm to secure the seven-point win.
Stevens paced the offense with 15 points, while Luna added seven and Guffey contributed six. Stevens and Gailey again controlled the glass with five rebounds each. Luna and Guffey dished out three assists apiece. Lansdown credited the team’s unselfish approach and depth for its steady play throughout the season.“Coach Cotter and I are very lucky to have depth and several talented players who have put the team first all season,” he said. “We have had different players contribute each night, and in ways that do not always show up in the box score. I also want to thank our parents and fans who have traveled long distances all season to support our young ladies.”
With momentum from two home wins and a roster that has embraced a team-first mindset, the Lady Lions now turn their attention to postseason play.
Now that Bakersfield, seeded fifth in the Class 2 District 10 Tournament has defeated fourth seeded Fordland, they will take on No. 1 seed Norwood, who currently holds a 23-3 record for the season. Game time is 6 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 25. Seeding for the tournament is as follows; Norwood, Gainesville, Hartville, Fordland, Bakersfield, Dora and Mansfield.