The Benton Lady Tigers handed Zachary its first loss of the season 64-58 in the St. Michael the Archangel tournament Thursday in Baton Rouge.
Emily Ward led the Lady Tigers with 23 points. Qua Chambers added 18 and Jada Anderson 14.
Rayah Haynes paced Zachary with 21. The Lady Broncos (6-1) reached the second round of the Class 5A playoffs last season.
Chambers scored 10 points in the first quarter as Benton raced to a 26-10 lead. Ward scored 10 in the fourth quarter and hit three 3-pointers in the game.
Benton (3-0) faces Parkview Baptist at 5 p.m. Friday in the tournament.
In the South Beauregard tournament, Airline fell to defending Class 3A state champion South Beauregard 66-53. The game matched first-year Airline coach Lyndzee Greene McConathy against her father, longtime South Beauregard coach Chris Greene.
Airline, which faced Lake Charles Sam Houston on Friday, dropped to 3-4. South Beauregard improved to 9-0.
In the Haughton Jack Clayton Invitational, Minden improved to 7-0 with a 69-28 first-round victory over Northwood.
The Lady Tiders play West Ouachita at 4 Friday in one semifinal at Haughton Middle School. Haughton takes on Lakeside in the other semifinal at 7.
In the Lady Kats Invitational at Bossier, Plain Dealing fell to West Monroe 55-51 and Parkway lost to Richwood 48-43.
In Friday’s action, Plain Dealing plays Booker T. Washington at 5, Peabody takes on Huntington at 6:15 and Bossier faces Green Oaks at 7:30.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
