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The Pleasant Home Lady Eagles found themselves in a scrappy contest against McKenzie in the first round of the area tournament Monday. Ultimately Pleasant Home pulled away to a seven-point victory, 33-26, to keep their area tournament hopes alive.

The game was close throughout with both teams holding the lead at various times. But, the Pleasant Home defense held strong in the fourth period, allowing McKenzie only one point to secure the victory.

The first period set the pace for much of the game with both teams scoring six points. Hailey Ward, Piper Bulger and Rylee Straughn each hit buckets for Pleasant Home in the opening period.

McKenzie took a four-point lead with 3:10 to go in the second period, 12-8. Ward fed a pass to Si’Niya Purifoy under the net who put in the layup to close the gap to two points. Moments later, Ward took the shot herself from three-point range to give Pleasant Home a 13-12 edge with 1:45 to go in the first half. McKenzie’s Zaniyah Davison, who scored six points in the period, hit the final basket to give the Lady Tigers a 14-13 lead going into the half.

Pleasant Home got off to a good start in the third period, at one point holding a four-point lead, 21-17. A three-pointer by McKenzie’s Trenady Pierce closed the gap to one point, 21-20. Eight points by Ward, including another three-pointer, as well as buckets by Presley Kelley and Emma Anderson, tying the game going into the final period at 25- 25.

The Lady Eagle defense held McKenzie to only one point in the fourth period. Meanwhile, the Lady Tigers went one-for-eight at the free-throw line down the stretch. Ward, Kelley and Anderson all had points for Pleasant Home in the fourth to pull away to a 33-26 victory.

Ward led the way for Pleasant Home with 17 points. Kelley, Anderson and Straughn each contributed four points and Bulger added two.

Pleasant Home will play in the area semi-final contest Wednesday, Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., against top-seed Red Level.

Lady Bulldogs earn first-round win; Opp girls’ season ends
Andalusia and Opp also played in girls’ area tournament semi-final action Monday night on the road. The Lady Bulldogs routed Dale County, 57-26, and advanced to the 4A Area 3 title game in Geneva Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. The Lady Bobcats fell to New Brockton, 33-29, in 3A Area 4 and end their season with a 7-13 record.