Lady Eagles’ basketball season ends at hands of Desert Pines

The Boulder City High School girls basketball team ran out of gas Feb. 15 against Desert Pines and lost 31-25 in the first round of the 3A playoffs. Despite the loss, the team proved it’s a program on the rise.

Playing at Sunset League No. 2 seed Desert Pines, the underdog Lady Eagles used an 11-4 second-quarter run to knot the game 15-15 at halftime before a Desert Pines’ 17-10 second-half run ended their season.

“I’m really proud of the girls; they played their hearts out against Desert Pines,” head coach Paul Dosch said. “We just came up a little bit short.”

Returning to the postseason after a one-year hiatus, the Lady Eagles rode their freshman duo of Madison Manns and Keely Alexander again on Feb. 15, a sign of bright things to come.

“We had a really young group this past season,” Dosch said. “I hope everyone gets after it this offseason and works on improving all aspects of their game.”

Up to the challenge on both ends of the floor, the duo played well in their first high school playoff experience, with each having three steals. Providing an all-around performance, Manns scored five points, with six rebounds and four assists, while Alexander scored two.

Senior forward Julia Worrall ended her prep career with one of her better performances of the season, scoring seven points and pulling down eight rebounds. Junior forward Jerra Hinson had eight rebounds with four points.

Adding more scoring from their underclassmen, sophomore guard Setia Cox scored four points, while sophomore forward Hannah Estes scored three points with two assists.

“I think our bond this year helped us rebound this season after missing the playoffs last year,” Cox said. “Everyone had more belief in themselves and each other, motivating and pushing each other throughout the season. We continued to be really coachable and work together and grew closer as a team because of it.”

Focusing on the program’s future, the Lady Eagles turned heads this season by making the postseason with one of the 3A classification’s youngest rosters. Returning all but the graduating Worrall, the girls will face higher expectations next season.

“It’s exciting to play with players that want to develop and have the desire to win,” Manns said. “I’ve played competitive basketball most of my life and it was nice to be welcomed by the team. I’m looking forward to winning more games next year.”

Contact Robert Vendettoli at BCRsports@gmail.com.