Gray, Ladybirds breeze past Lady Wildcats 68-40

KINGDOM CITY - Sophomore guard Jaida Gray produced a game-high 20 points to guide three players in double figures Friday night as the North Callaway Ladybirds roughed up the New Bloomfield Lady Wildcats 68-40.

Freshman guard Elaine Brinker tacked on 16 points for North Callaway (2-0), which was up 31-18 at halftime and 52-35 going into the fourth quarter. Sophomore forward Tara Oberlag chipped in with 10 points.

"Our movement offensively was much better and more people got involved," Ladybirds head coach Jack Peace said. "We pushed the ball up the floor, which is going to be our strength this year.

"We also talked on defense about needing to put pressure on the ball and we did a nice job of that."

Senior forward Chelsea Wiler finished with a team-high 10 points for New Bloomfield, which lost its second straight in falling to 1-2. Senior guard Ashtin Withers followed with seven points.

North Callaway - drawing the eighth seed - opens play in the Centralia Tournament against No. 1 Hallsville at 9 p.m. Monday. The Ladybirds will have to figure out a way to use their quickness to offset the Lady Indians' height advantage.

Hallsville's front line includes three players listed at 6-foot-4, 6-0 and 5-11.

"We'll have to put frontcourt pressure on them," Peace said. "We want to make it a transition game and force their bigs to keep up with us. We'll try to dictate the pace."

New Bloomfield plays in the Jamestown Tournament this week.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.