Lady Tigers win consolation title at Festival of Lights

By Daniel Walker

Journal Staff

WICHITA FALLS — The Commerce Lady Tigers came away with the Consolation Championship in their division at the Festival of Lights Tournament in Wichita Falls last weekend.

“We played some really tough games against good competition,” said Commerce coach Le’Mone Ards. “I’m really proud of the way the girls played. We played with a lot of effort.”

Commerce dropped their opening game of the tourney to Iowa Park 51-35 with April Neal and Raven Massey combining for 32 of the Lady Tigers 35 points.

Commerce then beat Carrollton Prince of Pace 69-51 behind 28 points from Massey.

The Lady Tigers then dispatched Burkburnett 65-63. “They were really good. I’m really proud of the way we won. It was a whole team effort,” Ards said.

The Lady Tigers had four players in double figures with Massey scoring 25, April Hines with 15, teal Martin with 12 and Neal with 10.

In the final game of the tourney, the Lady Tigers beat the Wichita Fall JV 71-35 behind 25 from Massey and 17 from Neal.

Commerce tops Lady Foxes

CADDO MILLS — Commerce’s April Neal recorded a triple double of 28 points, 11 steals and 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Tigers over Caddo Mills 49-38 Tuesday night.

Neal scored nine straight points in the fourth quarter to hold off a furious Lady Foxes rally that had closed a 15-point Commerce lead to 38-34 with just over five minutes left in the game. Neal’s falling down underhand scoop shot with three minutes left gave Commerce a 47-34 advantage on the way to the 49-38 win.

“It was a good win against a tough team,” said Commerce coach Le’Mone Ards.” We were without our starting point guard and that meant the rest of the girls needed to really step up, and they did. They played really hard.”

Caddo Mills led 2-0 on a bucket by Maddie Chandler and 4-3 on a basket by Hannah Horton but three first quarter steals by Neal fueled a 10-0 run that put the Lady Tigers ahead 13-4 after one quarter.

Callie Hayden hit back-to-back fast break buckets to jump start Caddo Mills in the second quarter and close the gap to 13-8. But the Lady Tigers’ Teal Martin, who finished with nine points and 11 rebounds, knocked down three straight baskets for Commerce.

Lady Tiger Tori Beller buried a three and Neal got three the old-fashioned way on a bucket and free throw to build Commerce’s biggest lead at 29-14 just before the half. Caddo Mills’ Shelbie Welk was able to drop in a lay-up at the buzzer and it was 29-16.

The Lady Foxes outscored Commerce 15-9 in the third quarter as Hayden ripped off four steals and knocked down four points. A Hayden steal and feed to Horton for a basket cut the Commerce lead to 35-31. Commerce pushed the lead back to seven at the end of the third on a free throw by Chelsea Love and a bucket by Neal.

In the fourth, a free throw by Welk and a bucket by Horton closed the score to 38-34 but it was all Neal from there as the Lady Tigers improved to 7-3 on the year and Caddo Mills dropped to 1-4.

The varsity girls will be back in action today at the Ennis Tournament.

The varsity boys are in action at the Quinlan Tournament.

Varsity girls

Commerce 13 16 9 11 — 49

Caddo Mills 4 12 15 7 — 38

Commerce (49) — April Neal 28, Teal Martin 9, April Hines 4, Tori Beller 3, Amanda Hill 2, Kaci Harrison 2, Chelsea Love 1.

Caddo Mills (38) — Shelbie Welk 9, Callie Hayden 8, Hannah Hopkins 8, Maddie Chandler 7, Hannah Horton 6.