Seventh Ranked Seward Explodes in Region 6 First Round

The #7 Seward County Lady Saints put on a second half clinic Saturday night in the Greenhouse in the 1st Round of the 2015 Region VI Tournament. Unfortunately for the visiting Neosho County Panthers, the clinic came at their expense as Seward exploded for 61 second half points in a blowout 108-49 victory that saw a number of all-time records and career highs fall for the Lady Saints.

For the second straight season it was Seward County and Neosho County in the Greenhouse for Region VI Tournament 1st Round action Saturday night in Liberal. Seward got off to a big start, running out to a 10-0 lead and holding Neosho without a single point until the 15:51 mark of the half. Things slowed down for the Lady Saints as a team but not for leading scorer Kyndal Davis who remained red hot for the gals in green, hitting a pair of threes to keep them up by double digits 19-9 midway through the half. Seward pushed their lead back to 15 when Davis struck again, scoring on three straight Lady Saint possessions to blow the game open to 37-15 with 5:10 to go in the half. Despite not clicking on all cylinders by any stretch of the imagination, it was all Seward in the first 20 minutes as they took a 47-26 lead into the break at half.

Seward shot 43% in the half while holding Neosho to just 23% shooting. The Lady Saints got to the free throw line 21 times, hitting 13 of them while the Panthers managed just 3 first half free throws thanks to a bevy of shots from the outside. Davis led all scorers with 21 first half points while Axelle Bernard hauled in 13 first half rebounds for the Lady Saints.

The Lady Saints struggled some coming out of the locker rooms at half and their lead remained 21 through the first 3:30 of the half. That is when they exploded. The Lady Saints went on an 18-3 run jumpstarted by a three pointer from Daniela Galindo to blow the game wide open to 72-36 and they continued to pour it on, using another 14-0 run to take a 47 points lead at 86-39 with 7:00 remaining in the game. In that stretch, the Lady Saints scored 35 points in a matter of just 9:35 of game time. It didn’t stop there for Seward as they continued to pile on the points against a Neosho defense that had no answer. Brooklyn Artis hit a three to put Seward up 50 and Rebekah Hatchard scored on a drive to the basket to give them a 57 point lead with under 3:00 left. Seward cracked the century mark with a three from Jackie Loya and went on to win 108-49.

Seward finished the game shooting 45% from the field as a team while Neosho managed just 25% in the loss. Individually a number of Lady Saints had big games in the win. Davis tied a career high with 29 points, her second such game in three outings. Galindo scored 18 points, all in the second half of the contest and also had 8 rebounds for the Lady Saints. Axelle Bernard scored 11 points, but that was not the story for her in the game, the freshman broke an all-time Seward County record by hauling in 21 rebounds, breaking a mark tied by Saints Hall of Famer Tegan Cunningham, Megan Gregg, and All-American Tracy Wynn. Hatchard posted her first career double-double in the win, going for 16 points and a career high 10 assists for the Lady Saints. All nine dressed Seward players had 3 or more points in the blowout win.

The Lady Saints improve to 26-4 on the year with the victory while Neosho ends their season in the Greenhouse at 11-20 for the second straight season.

Seward advances to the Region VI Tournament Quarterfinals once again where they will take on the Cowley Lady Tigers Wednesday at 5:00 at Koch Arena in Wichita.

#7 SEWARD COUNTY/NEOSHO COUNTY BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/boxscores/20150228_u1kr.xml>

Roy Allen