On Friday, the Lady Rockets (27-8) faced off against the Smithson Valley Rangers (25-6) to clinch first place in district.

To start the game, Rockets lost the tip-off and the Rangers automatically tried for a three but missed. Junior Kierra Sanderlin and sophomore Amira Mabry both made shots combining for four points to get the Rockets rolling. Rangers made a fast-break layup to finally get two on the board. To keep momentum, sophomore Michaela Verrett made a three to further the Rockets lead. The Rangers quickly came down the court and made a contested layup, but the Rockets couldn’t clap back as they got a travel call on them keeping the score at 6-4. After multiple defensive stands by the Rockets, the Rangers finally got a ball to fall with an and-one play. They made the and-one putting the score at 6-7. The Rangers again made a layup and got a steal, but couldn’t complete the play. Sanderlin then got a layup to fall and a steal to find senior Teanna Huggins for the assisted floater giving them a 10-9 lead to end the first quarter.

To start the second quarter, both teams started off slow, but the Rangers got a foul called as they can only make one shot tying the game at 10-10. Huggins made a three-point shot and the Rockets got a steal, which led to Verrett making a layup putting the Rockets up by five. Verrett went up for a layup and made the and-one, making the score 19-12. Then, Huggins got fouled and only made one, but Verrett got the rebound and laid it in making the score 23-14. Rangers got fouled as they were only able to make one shot ending the half at a score of 28-16. 

To start the third quarter, Huggins got a rebound and then followed up with a layup. The possession afterward, Huggins immediately got another layup to fall. The Rangers answered back with a layup of their own to gain two. Mabry got fouled and went one for two at the line, making the score 34-19. The Rangers got a steal and a fast-break layup to add to their score making it 34-23. The Rangers answered back with a layup in the paint to make the score 42-27. The Rangers got a foul called on them and they made both shots as well. Again, the Rangers got an and-one call which brought them up to 44-35, ending the third quarter.

To start the fourth, Verrett made a three and the Rockets followed up with a steal but couldn’t complete the possession. The Rangers made a shot inside the line giving them two making the score 47-37.  The Rangers got fouled again and were able to make both free throws. The Rangers drove into the paint and used a hop step to score two. Mabry answered with a layup assisted by Sanderlin making the score 49-41. The Rangers came back after continuous rebounds and finally made a mid-range shot putting them down by six. Rangers made a three giving them a total of 46, but also scored again in the pain giving them two more. Mabry pushed her way into the paint for another layup making the score 55-48. Mabry continued to dominate the paint as she got an and-one called, she missed the third point, but Huggins got the rebound and assisted Sanderlin as she fades away for two and gets the foul called. She made both shots putting the rockets up 59-48. Sanderlin and Mabry seemed to have major chemistry as they again used each other for another score giving them two points. Senior Jonmecia Baskin made a two to seal the game away at 63-48, clinching the district championship.

The Lady Rockets (27-8) will play at Canyon on Tuesday, February 11.

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