The Saints dominated in the first half as LBWCC beat Bishop State 69-54 on Thursday night in ACCC South Conference action.

If it wanted to keep it’s lead in the conference going, LBWCC knew it had to perform against the team from Mobile.

That they did, early and often in the first half.

Janard Estell and Troyce Manasse got two quick buckets for LBWCC as the Saints led early 4-3.

Keith Spraglin drove the lane and almost got a 3-point play to give BSCC its first lead of the game.

Estell then got a steal and a drive for a 5-point advantage with more than 15 minutes left in the first.

What gave LBWCC its edge in the first was its use of defensive schemes. The Saints would start out in a 1-2-2 and then quickly transition into another scheme to confuse BSCC players. Along with the double-scheme on defense, the Saints half-court press was also a factor.

BSCC then went on a 7-0 run to take a 12-10 lead with 11:59 left in the first half.

Manasse got a 3-pointer with 8:59 left and a 15-14 lead for LBWCC.

Freshman guard Steven Clark made some great plays on the court, especially on transition with his long passes to open men. He found Malcolm Snyder twice for easy buckets.

Manasse then got an and-one play and the Saints led 37-20 at halftime.

BSCC women 57, LBWCC women 53

Bishop State’s Maci Chambers scored 22 points to help lead her team to a 57-53 conference victory over LBWCC Thursday night.

The Lady Saints were looking to get a needed conference win that would help them stay in the race to finish in the top six, which guarantees an ACCC State Tournament berth.

However, BSCC had other plans as it pulled away late in the second half.

Both teams battled from the 13:41 mark in the final 20 minutes of the game.

LBWCC’s Tori Lowe drained a 3-pointer with 12 minutes left to cut BSCC’s lead to 41-37.

BSCC’s Seandrea Stevens had other plans when she almost converted an old fashioned 3-point play on her team’s next offensive possession.

The Lady Saints kept the pressure up on defense, which in turn turned into Brittany Moore getting a runner and Kerria Halloway scoring a putback to get the game to 43-41 with more than eight minutes left.

LBWCC could’ve tied the game, but didn’t get a layup when it needed to.

Kirsten Henton got a jumper and Derrica Chambers drained a 3-pointer for a BSCC 50-41 lead.

Halloway and Destyni Thomas cut it to 52-45 on a drive and two free throws made with 5:27 left in the game.

LBWCC cut it to five on a Halloway 3-pointer with 1:53 left, but Beneather Manuel answered for BSCC with a drive up the lane to put her team up 57-50.

Alectricia Barnes of Andalusia got a rebound and a drive to the basket with less than a minute left.

Halloway led LBWCC with 16 points and nine rebounds; and Lowe chipped in 11.

Stevens chipped in 10 points.

BSCC led 27-25 at halftime.

With this loss, the Lady Saints fall to 5-16 overall, and 3-7 in the ACCC South.

LBWCC will be back in action on Monday night at Enterprise State.