By Frank Davis

Correspondent

Lakeland Lady Cavaliers assistant coach Amy Patterson, was informed Wednesday that she would take over coaching duties for the Friday night game against the visiting Lady Bruins of Western Branch.

Head Coach Brandey Blunt was advised to take bed rest, as time is closing in for the birth of her child.

“I was a little nervous for my first start, but I did my best, and the team fought hard,” she said after the game. Still, with a final score of 53-19 against the Lady Cavaliers, it was a hard loss in the Southeastern District.

It was a uphill battle all the way, as the Lady Bruins jumped off to a fast 13-2 first-quarter lead. By the half, Western Branch had extended its lead to 24-9.

Bruins Head Coach Troy Terry said after the game that because of a violation, he could not allow the Southeastern District leading scorer Alexis McKay to play in the first quarter. McKay, averaging 18 points per game, did play for the remaining three quarters but finished with only six points.

The third quarter proved to be the best offensively for both teams, as the Cavaliers produced eight points, and the Bruins had 18 points.

The Lady Cavaliers continued to play hard through the end of the game, as they were faced with an aggressive full-court press for the majority of the game that resulted in the Bruins getting 22 steals.

In scoring for the Cavaliers, Simone Russel and Kyiesha Barrett had eight points each.

For the Bruins, Da’lishia Griffin led with 19, and Shanesa Harris had 16. They are ranked as No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, in scoring in the district.

Lakeland’s record now stands at 0-13 overall.

For the Bruins, the win put them at 10-8 overall and 10-4 in the district.