WOODLAWN - The Rison Lady Wildcats appeared to be in position to punch their ticket to Class 2A South Region Tournament Tuesday night as they were protecting a seven-point lead against the Fordyce Ladybugs with 2:11 left in the 8-2A District Tournament quarterfinals inside the Woodlawn Gym.
But as unlikely as it seemed at the time, Fordyce suddenly began to convert on some Rison turnovers as the Ladybugs ended the game on an 10-0 run to pull off a gut-wrenching 5249 victory over the Lady 'Cats to end their season.
With its victory, Fordyce, the no. 5 seed in the tournament, advanced to the district tournament semifinals and automatically earned one of the league's four berths to next week's regional tournament.
Rison, meanwhile, finished the season with a 13-12 record overall under new Head Coach Cicely Greene-Simpson.
The Ladybugs, who swept both games from the Lady Cats during the regular season, led by as many as 11 in the first quarter before an eight-point burst by Layne Potter that included two 3-pointers allowed Rison to pull within 25-20 at halftime.
Fordyce was still nursing a five-point lead, 32-27, with a little more than four minutes left in the third when a 3 by Destiny Lea triggered what would be a 12-0 run by the Lady 'Cats to close out the period.
Chamira Crain's basket with 2:58 left in the third drew Rison even, 32-32, before Potter hit two free throws at the 2:40 mark to give the Lady Wildcats their first lead since the opening bucket of the contest.
Rison continued to add to its lead for the rest of the quarter as Lea fed Potter for a layup following a steal, Madelyn Peyton hit a free throw and Potter added another bucket to give the Lady 'Cats a 39-32 lead. A late 3pointer by the Ladybugs' cut it to 39-35 to start the fourth quarter.
The Lady 'Cats were able to take advantage of some missed free throws by Fordyce in the fourth quarter as a score by Lea and two fre...
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