Lady Saints Rally Past South Plains

Ian Applegate

LIBERAL, Kan. – The No. 10 Seward County women’s basketball team (2-0) won a nail-biter in the Greenhouse Friday night, defeating the No. 15 South Plains Lady Texans in come from behind fashion 75-70 to open the Pepsi Classic.

The two teams traded punches throughout the first quarter. With a defensive battle ensuing, the game stood tied at six with just under four minutes to play in the first. A free throw by Aquila Mucubaquire gave Seward a one-point lead a minute later. Still holding a one-point lead, the Lady Saints used four Carla Covane points to end on a 4-1 run and take a 13-9 lead into the second quarter.

The Lady Texans went on a 5-0 run in their first two possessions to retake the lead 14-13. But Seward fought back, going on a 7-2 run of their own to retake the lead. Just as it seemed that the momentum was in Seward’s favor, South Plains came battling back into the game, to tie it 32 at halftime.

Seward was able to take advantage of a slow start for the Lady Texans to begin the third quarter of play, as Seward score eight straight to take a 44-36 lead midway through the quarter. South Plains refused to go away, clawing their way into the game again, before eventually overtaking the Lady Saints 49-47 just before the end of the quarter with a three pointer and a pair of free throws.

South Plains continued their run to start the fourth quarter, 12-2 run over the course of six minutes. With four minutes to play, the Lady Saints trailed 64-53. Three straight free throws, one by Sidney Tinner and two by Lexi Hernandez, cut the deficit to eight, before Mucubaquire drilled a three from the wing to make it a seven-point game. Trailing 66-59, Seward put together an unimaginable 9-0 over the course of a minute and a half to take a 68-66 lead. Free throws the rest of the way sealed the win for the Lady Saints, as they took the victory 75-70.

A year after not completing any come-from-behind wins, the 2018 Seward County squad has already overcome deficits of nine and eleven in wins.

Seward shot 34.4 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from deep, while the Lady Texans shot 41.5 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from behind the arc. The difference in the game came from the free throw line as Seward went 27-for-31 compared the Lady Texans 10-for-11.

Four Lady Saints scored in double figures, led by Carla Covane’s career-high 17 points. Covane also led Seward in rebounds with nine. Silvia Veloso (16 pts), Sidney Tinner (15 pts) and Aquila Mucubaquire (12 pts) joined Covane in double-figures.

Seward will finish the Pepsi Classic in the Greenhouse tomorrow night (Nov. 10) at 6:00 p.m. against Frank Phillips.