Lady Bulldogs pick up three wins over break

It has been said that playing tough competition only makes you better in the long run. If that is truly the case, then the Ville Platte Lady Bulldogs (15-1) are doing all the right things and getting some quality wins along the way. The VPHS girls recently went to the Sam Houston (Class 5A) Tournament in Moss Bluff and went 2-1. Days later, they hosted Class 5A Walker and won that game as well.
Against Walker, VPHS took a 57-53 win. The local girls went up 17-10 in the opening period. Deja McKinney and Shalinda Thomas each hit a pair of baskets and Tyreonna Doucet added five points. Doucet had an amazing game as she banked 21 points overall.
Walker fired back and out-shot VPHS 21-12 in the second period. This not only stunned the VPHS crowd, but gave the larger school the lead going into the halftime break, 31-29.
The third period was slowed down a lot as both teams played great defense. Doucet hit a trio of lay-ups, which allowed the home team to tie up the game at 38-38 going into the final break.
The final period was a dramatic one. Doucet caught fire and hit four shots. McKinney added eight points of her own. She had a 15-point night. Thomas was a force on defense and her forced turnovers allowed the home team to take a late lead they would never get back. Thomas ended her day at the office with 15 points.
At the Sam Houston Tournament, Ville Platte suffered their only loss of the season. They fell 61-42 to the Lacassine Lady Cardinals.
Lacassine took an early lead and never looked back. They were up 21-11 after the first period and held a 38-31 lead at the intermission. Doucet paced the Lady Bulldogs with 12 points in the first half of the game. She ended the game with 14 points.
The second half was all LHS as they out-scored the local girls 23-11. Breanna Pete ended her game with 14 points as well.
Ville Platte bounced DeRidder (Class 4A) 59-44 at the tournament. After the first period was tied 12-12, the Lady Bulldogs took the lead and never gave it back. McKinney and Pete tag-teamed the Lady Dragons for 14 points in the first half. Both would end the game with 14 points.
In the second half, the local girls did not let up. They continued to battle and came up big with a 14-7 third period. Pete and McKinney each sank a trio of baskets in the period.
Tyreonna Doucet sealed up the final period. She nailed down four jump shots and completed her day at the office with 10 points.
VPHS shot down South Beauregard 56-44. The Lady Bulldogs went up 13-4 over the Lady Knights and that was enough to seal the deal. McKinney caught fire in the first period. She hit nine points, including a three-point shot, leading the team with 19 points.
Ville Platte returns home to host Southern Lab (11-1) January 7th.