Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lady Rattlers take their shot, missed against Lipan

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When you are state champions, everyone comes gunning for you.

The Tolar Lady Rattlers came out swinging, trying to knock out Texas Class 2A’s third-ranked and defending state title holder Lipan Friday night in Tolar. They came up short, losing 49-37 to the Lady Indians.  

“Well, they’re as good as advertised,” said Tolar girls basketball head coach Michael Hall. “We know it's always a tall order when you play Lipan of any year, and especially as defending state champ.”

But the Lady Rattlers can hold their heads high knowing they gave the Lady Indians all they had. The scrappy girls of Tolar played their game, giving Lipan fits with ferocious defense.

“It's just what we do every day,” Hall said. “It’s the most important aspect of what we do, because that translates into easy offense.” 

Tolar’s defensive efforts kept Lipan from turning the game into a track meet, and according to Hall “get out and get the easy ones.”

The Lady Rattlers minimized the Lady Indians’ second-chance opportunities, fighting for every rebound like it would be their last.

“Everything's worth the point …,” the coach said he tells his girls all the time. “So, (play) every possession as if every second is the last one.”

The Lady Rattlers’ intensity and commitment was not the problem. They were able to break Lipan’s press more times than many of Lipan’s opponents this year could muster. 

It was the little things like making free throws. Tolar went to the charity stripe 28 times and made 15, 8 of which came in the fourth. 

“We were a little (off) from the free throw line, and that made a big difference,” the coach conceded.

In everything else the Tolar coach was happy about how his girls played. 

“Our big focus every night is just making sure we control what we can control,” Hall said. “And you know, that's us and how we do what we do.”

Tolar’s leading lady, Baili Deaver, almost single-handedly willed the Lady Rattlers back in the game in the fourth, Tolar’s best quarter of the night, outscoring Lipan 10-7. 

Deaver aggressively attacked the basket, drawing fouls and converting eight of 10 free throw attempts, and recording all of Tolar’s points in the fourth.

In the end, Lipan was just slightly better.

Lipan’s go-to lady, Lynsey Little, kept the title holders in front dropping 10 points in the first half. Little’s deceptive darts to the basket kept defenders on their heels, going to the line six times and making four.

Little led all scorers with 13. Lipan’s feisty floor general, Taylor Branson, added 11. Teammates Chelsea Lott and Trinity Benitez added 6 points each.

Deaver led the Lady Rattlers with 12 points. Ava LeCluyse dropped 6, Shylar Nunley added 5 and Haley Burt had 4 points.

The Lady Indians are now alone at top of District 11-2A.

And their game plan marching into this game?

“Win,” said Lipan girls basketball head coach Amber Branson.