The Airline Lady Vikings withstood a Captain Shreve third-quarter rally then pulled away for a 72-54 victory over the Lady Gators in the girls championship game of the ‘Doc’ Edwards Memorial Invitational Saturday night before a packed house at Airline.
Ruston defeated defending champion Huntington 75-60 in the boys championship game.
It was a very good night for Airline. The Vikings defeated Bossier 64-51 in the boys third-place game.
Cedar Creek edged Benton 53-51 in the girls third-place game.
Homer won the Navy bracket boys consolation with a 71-60 victory over Mansfield. Minden defeated Haughton 72-41 in the White bracket consolation finals.
Summerfield took the girls consolation title with a 42-31 victory over Homer.
Airline (12-1) jumped out to a quick 15-6 lead over Captain Shreve (15-3). The Lady Gators scored the last five points of the second quarter to cut the deficit to 15-11.
The Lady Vikings extended the lead to 31-23 at the half.
Airline scored the first basket of the third quarter to go up 33-23. But Shreve went on a 16-6 run to tie it at 39 with just under three minutes to play in the third.
Airline quickly regained the lead then went up 46-41 on a 3-pointer by Ke’Zyriah Sykes. The Lady Vikings outscored the Lady Gators 12-2 over the final 2:47 of the third quarter and led 51-41.
Airline’s domination continued into the fourth. The Lady Vikings’ eventually stretched the lead to 68-49 with two minutes left.
Sykes had a big game on both ends of the floor. She scored a game-high 32 points, including 11 in the decisive third quarter and eight in the fourth. She was 10-of-11 from the free throw line in the game.
Sykes also made a difference with her defensive play and rebounding.
Airline forced several turnovers during the big second-half run. The Lady Vikings also kept the Lady Gators from scoring inside.
Addison McDowell, who was named the tournament MVP, scored 19 points. Karliyah Woodard added eight. Sykes and Woodard were both named to the all-tournament team.
Leah Bryant led Captain Shreve with 18 points. She was named to the all-tournament team.
Jaydan Gladney led Airline (6-9) against Bossier (5-8) with 19 points.
Bossier got within one early in the fourth quarter, but Airline took control with a 14-2 run.
The Vikings led 30-23 at the half. The Bearkats rallied in the third quarter but Airline closed strong and led 45-39 going into the fourth.
Gladney hit four of his five 3-pointers in the second half and scored 16 points. Eli Washington scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half. He sank three from behind the arc.
Power forward Joshua White was a force in the paint and finished with 14 points.
Kerel Dean led Bossier with 14 points. Justin Slaid added 11. Kam Davenport and David Thomas scored nine each.
The Bearkats hit eight 3-pointers but had trouble finding the mark from long range down the stretch.
Gladney and Bossier’s Lajerrion Benjamin were named to the all-tournament team.
Ahmad Hudson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, led Ruston (8-4) against Huntington (11-4) with 31 points. KeShun Malcolm added 13. Ruston has won eight in a row.
David Howard III poured in 25 points in Homer’s win over Mansfield. Demetrius Pitts added 16.
Carmelo Smith and Jaiden Franklin led Minden against Haughton with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Jayden Carey led Haughton with 20 points.