Published: December 29, 2007 11:20 pm      

Kiwanis Dynasty: Kerens tops Hubbard for another title

It has become as much of a tradition as the Kiwanis Classic itself.

The Kerens Lady Cats claimed their third straight girls championship in coach Denise Lincoln’s tenure Saturday with a 75-35 rout of Hubbard at the K. and Ida Wolens Special Events Center.

Lincoln said that after Friday’s game against Wortham, her team wanted to prove that they were as good as advertised.

“I told them before the game that they needed to come out and prove that they were as good as everyone has said,” she said. “After yesterday’s game, the girls wanted to prove that we are that much better and I could just feel that they were ready in the locker room before the game.”

The Lady Cats answered any question still remaining in the first quarter by holding the Lady Jags to just seven shooting attempts from the floor.

Kerens got eight of Michelle Jordan’s game-high 18 points in the first quarter and took a 24-10 lead.

Hubbard, which hasn’t shot the ball well the entire tournament, made the attempts it got.

The Lady Jags were 4-of-5 from inside the three-point line and 2-2 from the free throw line.

It was the Lady Cats defense, however, that made a lot of the difference in the first quarter forcing nine Hubbard turnovers.

Kerens’ defense did much of the same in the second quarter and held the Lady Jags to just one shot attempts in four minutes while building a 20-point lead.

Hubbard still made the attempts the Lady Cats gave it, but Kerens built a 45-21 lead to take into the half.

The Lady Jags were 7-10 from field goal range and 7-12 from the free-throw line. However, the Lady Cats forced 18 first-half turnovers by the Lady Jags scoring 28 points from them.

“This was a good game for us,” Lincoln said. “The girls always step up to the challenge when they are faced with big games.

“We don’t really make it our goal to win this tournament at the beginning of the year, but when it comes time around Christmas they start talking about wining it. I’ve always felt like we’re supposed to win it.”

With a 24-point lead going into the second half, the Lady Cats never let up and frustrated the Lady Jags into foul trouble.

Hubbard’s Sarah Fletcher saw very limited action in the third and set the entire fourth quarter on the bench with four fouls.

Kiona Johnson fouled out midway through the third quarter after picking up two quick fouls in the quarter.

Kerens took advantage of a short-handed Lady Jags team and went on a 16-4 run and led by 32 points going into the fourth.

Still, the Lady Cats never let up on Hubbard and opened the fourth quarter with a 12-4 run. The Lady Jags never scored another point in the fourth quarter.

Hubbard shot 50 percent from field goal range and 69 percent from the free-throw line, its best shooting performance of the tournament.

The Lady Jags got 15 points from Africa Lang and 10 points from Iesha Simmons.

The Lady Cats had three other players than Jordan scoring in double-digits with Jennifer Williams scoring 15 and RoShonda Tolliver and Jaycee Colvin each adding 10.



Hubbard (9-11) 10 11 10 4 35

Kerens (10-7) 24 21 18 12 75



Kerens: Michelle Jordan, 18; Jennifer Williams, 15; RoShonda Tolliver, 10; Jaycee Colvin, 10; Taneque Williams, 8; Cheyenne McClure, 5; Tamreshia Polk, 5; Jessica Bivins, 2; BreAnna Lawrence, 2.

Hubbard: Africa Lang, 15; Iesha Simmons, 10; Grace Raley, 6; Sara Fletcher, 2; Jennifer Buffin, 1; Malorie Brim, 1.

3-pointers: K: T. Williams (2), J. Williams (2).