JACKSON — If high school basketball teams were able to advance in the MHSAA state tournament based on heart and desire and a strong resolve, then the Lafayette Lady Commodores would be headed to Friday’s Class 4A championship game against Pontotoc.
Unfortunately for the Lady Commodores, desire, drive and grit are not the only things that measure teams in the final stages of a basketball season.
Despite a great second half effort that caught the eye of many observers inside the Mississippi Coliseum Monday night, the Lady Commodores’ season came to an unfortunate end with an 86-72 loss to Forrest County AHS in the semifinals of the 4A state tournament.
In a game where LHS (15-15 overall) outscored the Lady Aggies (29-0) 45-34 in the second half, Monday’s loss boiled down to the way the Lady Commodores started the game rather than the way they finished.
LHS fell behind 10-0 to the Lady Aggies, who pressed their way into the title game behind two dynamic sisters, Kimberly and Samantha Clemts. The duo had help in the win — two players off the bench chipped in double digit points — but the 6-foot-1 twins were the difference in the contest that was dominated by the Lady Aggies from start to finish in the first 16 minutes. (February 28, 2012, Page 8)
