Lockhart holds off Gonzales

LOCKHART – Most coaches of winless teams have difficulty finding a light at the end of the tunnel.

Gonzales girls basketball coach Kent Smith is not one of those. While the Lady Apaches fell to 0-5 with a 57-52 loss to Lockhart Monday in Lockhart, Smith found plenty of reasons to believe his team is about to turn the corner.

“This was our first game with Tajerrica (Smith),” he said. “She more than proved that she can make a difference in turnovers, rebounds and points. Having her makes a difference. Our first four games were bad and we just didn’t click. But we’re turning the corner and getting over the hump.”

In Monday’s game, Tajerrica Smith scored 12 points, including six in the third quarter. Since she is playing, Kent Smith is confident that he has a solid three-guard attack.

“With Tajerrica, Kelsey (Hardy) and Taylor (West) in our lineup, we’ll be tough,” he said.

Monday’s game was a tale of two halves as Class 4A Lockhart took advantage of an anemic offensive output by Gonzales to seize a 28-15 halftime lead after leading by five, 13-8, at the end of the first quarter. The Lady Lions closed out the second quarter on an 11-3 run to take a double-digit lead into the locker room.

Although Lockhart outscored the Lady Apaches, 17-16, in the third quarter to take a 45-31 lead entering the final quarter of play, Smith and Hardy were just starting to heat up as they scored 6 and 4 points, respectively, in the third. Kent Smith also used a little strategy in the fourth quarter.

“We switched our offense between motion and dribble drive,” he said.

The move paid off as Gonzales scored the first eight points of the fourth to pull within six, 45-39. The 8-0 run to start the final period of play turned into a 19-8 spurt that trimmed the Lockhart lead to three, 53-50, late in the fourth quarter.

Hardy scored 10 of her team-high 18 points during the 19-8 run. But the Lady Apaches got no closer as the Lady Lions used a fastbreak layup and a pair of free throws sandwiched between a Rena Camarillo basket to fend off the Gonzales comeback.

In addition to Hardy’s 18 points and Smith’s 12, West and Tamika White both had 5 points, while Camarillo had 4, Ashli Malatek and Jade McCook both had 3 and Kelsey Pippin had 2. While Kent Smith was happy with his team’s performance, he was quick to point out one thing that hurts its chances to pick up its first win of the season.

“We had foul trouble,” he said. “We had three girls foul out in the fourth quarter, and one of them was one of our best shooters. That really hurt.”

Gonzales competed in the Marion Tournament on Thursday, but the results were not available at press time. The Lady Apaches return to the court Saturday at a time to be determined.