DECATUR -- From the bleachers at Peterson Gym came the sounds of jubilant celebration as the Decatur senior girls' basketball team won its first game of the season against the Eureka Springs Lady Highlanders on Feb. 9.
The senior girls took the court with but one thing on their minds, to win one for the seniors.
Before the game, seniors from the boys' and girls' basketball teams, cheer squad and band were recognized and honored for their commitment to each of their respective programs.
Haley Burden and Celine Prelle were presented with a plaque bearing two photographs of each during game play.
Once the ceremony was complete, it was time to start the last regular season home game of 2016.
The first quarter started slow with the Lady Highlanders scoring first at the 6:34 mark. At the 5:52 mark, the Lady Bulldogs put two on the scoreboard to tie the game. Decatur pulled ahead of Eureka Springs at the 3:55 mark. The Lady Highlanders never regained the lead as the Lady Bulldogs' defense overwhelmed them. The first quarter ended with Decatur leading 12 to 7. The Lady Bulldogs gained possession of the ball during the opening of the second quarter. They drove the ball to the end of the court and set up the offense. Celine Prelle had possession on the left wing ready to pass when the Lady Highlanders made their move. For about 30 seconds, play stopped as neither team moved. It was as if the referee blew his whistle stopping play. However, none was blown. Finally Prelle passed the ball off to Meagan Smith and play resumed. The second quarter was a defensive game and Decatur outscored Eureka Springs, 6 to 2, to take an 18-to-9 lead going into the break.
The Lady Bulldogs picked up the pace in the third quarter, outscoring the Lady Highlanders 10 to 8. At the 3:08 mark of the third quarter, Decatur extended its lead to eight. By the end of the third, Decatur opened a sizable 11-point lead, 28 to 17. The Lady Bulldogs shut the Lady Highlanders down in the final quarter, holding them to only 7 points to the Bulldogs' 16. With two minutes remaining, Decatur held a 20 point lead and had its first victory in sight. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the fans in the stands counted down the seconds. When the final second rolled off the clock, the Decatur fans erupted into thunderous celebration.
As the team headed back to the locker room, Coach Jeff Melton headed into his office sporting a big grin because he won the first game of his opening season as a basketball coach.
"It was a big win for the seniors and for the program," said Melton. "It definitely got the younger generation of Lady Bulldog basketball players excited about being a part of this program."
Melton has been fortunate this season to have an experienced assistant coach sitting beside him on the bench. Jo Jo Tibbon worked with the junior high team teaching the basics and readying the freshmen for their leap into the senior high ranks next season.
Leading scorer for the Bulldogs was Haley Burden with 20, followed by Cameron Shaffer with 14 and Celine Prelle with 10.
Burden's last home game of the regular season finished on a high note. Not only did she make 20 points to lead the Bulldog scoring; she achieved another mark, the highly sought after double-double, somewhat of a rarity for the girls' program this season. She made 20 points and 12 rebounds. Burden shared this achievement with teammate Cameron Shaffer, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds. The efforts of Burden and Shaffer, along with the hard work and dedication by the entire Lady Bulldog team earned this win, not only for the fans and the coaches but themselves as well.
The Lady Bulldogs traveled south to Magazine to take on the Lady Rattlers of Leftwich High School for their final regular game of the 2015-16 basketball season on Feb. 11.
Decatur struggled against a hard-hitting Leftwich team. The Lady Rattlers jumped out in front of the Lady Bulldogs and never looked back as they took the victory, 53 to 17, ending Decatur's regular season.
The Decatur Lady Bulldogs ended the conference season 1 and 13 with an overall record of 1 and 22.
The Lady Bulldogs will play Union Christian in the opening round of the 2A-4West district tournament in Decatur Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. in Peterson Gym.
Sports on 02/17/2016