DECATUR -- The bleachers at Peterson Gym were filled to near capacity Dec. 15 as the Decatur Lady Bulldogs celebrated colors day with their third win of the season against the Life Way Lady Warriors from Centerton.
This was the second meeting of these two teams this season. The first meeting was Nov. 29 during the second round of the Decatur Holiday Hoops basketball tournament at Peterson Gym. In that contest, Decatur took an early lead and never let go as the team took its second victory.
The colors day matchup was no different, The Lady Bulldogs quickly established control of the contest, amassing 12 points in the first four minutes of the contest while holding Life Way scoreless until the five-minute mark in the first quarter. By the end of the first half, the Lady Bulldogs had built a commanding 21-point lead over a struggling Lady Warriors team.
Decatur continued its dominance and the players continued building on their lead. By the end of the contest, Decatur held a 30-point lead, 51-21, earning its third win of the season.
Leading the Bulldogs' scoring drive was Paige Vann with 16, followed by Sammie Skaggs with 15. Rounding out the scoring efforts were Destiny Mejia and Abby Tilley, who each had eight points. Jackie Herrera had four.
During the closing three minutes of the game, with the Lady Bulldogs leading by 26, Airbus Dungsungnoen, who played basketball for the first time this season, was given several chances to make her first points ever. Two of her attempts spun on the rim and popped out, while the other three were knocked away by the Lady Warriors. The game ended with Dungsungnoen still looking for her first basket.
However, with a minute left, she was guarding a Life Way player on the right wing. As the Life Way player tried to pass the ball to an open teammate near the basket, Dungsungnoen hit the ball, dead center, causing it to pop out of her opponent's hands and land out of bounds.
Dungsungnoen, like her teammates, continues to improve with each game. Hopefully, in the next game -- against Watts, Okla., Dec. 19 -- she will get her first two points of her career.
The junior high team chalked up a win during the first game of the evening, defeating Life Way, 26-13. In that contest, Haily Shaffer led the scoring effort with 11, followed by Mayra Flores with seven. Stephanie Sandoval and Myriam Ocampo each had four.
Sports on 12/20/2017