Lakeland High School’s girls’ basketball team will begin play in the conference tournament next week fresh off ending its regular season on a high note. The Lady Cavaliers defeated visiting conference foe, Denbigh High School, 52-38 on Monday evening.

“It was Senior Night for us last night, and our seniors started the game, and they set the tone,” Lady Cavs coach Brandey Blunt said on Tuesday morning. “They did a great job.”

Lakeland, the No. 5 seed in the upcoming tourney, established a 12-3 advantage with one quarter of the game expired, and “we maintained the lead throughout,” Blunt said.

The Lady Cavaliers have four seniors, and Blunt said all of them played well. The group includes Sharneisha Savage, Alexis Gilmore, Tia Bradley and Abrea Perry.

Savage was one of two Lakeland scorers in double figures, contributing 10 points.

Lakeland’s lead grew to 13 points at halftime, 26-13, then 15 points after the third quarter, 37-22.

“I just think everybody pulled their own weight,” Blunt said. “We played well as a team. It wasn’t just one or two standouts.”

Freshman Makayla Dickens led the Lady Cavaliers with 15 points, freshman Kayla Barnes added nine and junior D’Jannay Patterson, freshman Brianna Copeland and Bradley had four points apiece.

“We played defense pretty well throughout the whole night, as far as preventing them from scoring field goals,” Blunt said.

But her team got into foul trouble, committing 30 team fouls and allowing the Lady Patriots to shoot 45 free throws. Though they only made 49 percent of them, it was still 22 extra points.

“We just have to get our fouling under control, as a team, and I think once we do that, we’ll be OK,” Blunt said.

The Lady Cavaliers (8-14, 3-7) have completed their 2014-15 regular season schedule, showing marked growth from their five-win 2013-14 campaign.

“I think they had a pretty good season this year,” Blunt said. “I’m hopeful, I’m optimistic about the future.”

No. 5 Lakeland will face No. 4 Heritage High School on Tuesday at King’s Fork High School in the first round of the Ironclad Conference girls’ basketball tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.