The Lady Cardinals of Red Bird traveled to Pineville Thursday night to take on the defending 51st District Champion Lady Lions. The game was a rematch of last seasons’ 1st round district tournament game between the teams. Pineville would win that game and go on to defeat Middlesboro in the championship to win the title.

The Lady Lions, sporting their brand new home white jersey’s, used an up tempo, run and gun style offense to defeat the visiting Lady Cardinals by a score of 47-24. Pineville jumped out to a 10 point advantage at 13-3 after the first period of play. Chasity Fuston led the Lady Lions charge scoring five of her game high 15 points in the first frame.

Pineville kept the pressure going in the second quarter behind high intensity team defense and the strong rebounding of Melodye Smith. Kayla Smith of Red Bird scored all five points for the Lady Cardinals in the second period. Smith and Ashley Madon chipped in three points apiece in the quarter to extend the Pineville lead to 23-8 at halftime.

The third quarter was much of the same as the Lady Lions outscored Red Bird 12-5 to take a 35-13 lead into the fourth. Chasity Fuston and Ashley Madon were very effective pushing the ball up the court and either getting to the basket or creating open lay-ups for teammates. Fuston added five points in the third frame and teammate Leslie Howard scored four of her eight points to help the Lady Lion cause.

The Lady Cardinals fought hard in the fourth quarter to get back into the game behind Whitney Elam, who scored all of her six points in the final frame. Pineville did not panic with the Lady Cardinal run due to the leadership of Fuston and Madon. The guards stayed poised and under control leading Pineville to a win in their first game of the season. The Lady Lions defeated the Lady Cardinals by a final score of 47-24.

Pineville was led by Chasity Fuston with 15 points; Ashley Madon added 10 and Melodye Smith chipped in nine points in the victory. Red Bird was led in scoring by Kayla Smith with nine points and Whitney Elam who added six points.

The Lady Lions travel to J. Frank White tonight to play in a double header beginning at 6 pm. Red Bird will visit Evarts on the twelfth of December.

Pineville 13 10 12 12 - 47

Red Bird 3 5 5 11 - 24

Pineville - Chasity Fuston 15, Ashley Madon 10, Melodye Smith 9, Leslie Howard 8, Lindsey Roan 2, Breoynna Teran 2, Blair Combs 1

Red Bird - Rebecca Lawson 3, N.. Mills 2, Kayla Brock 9, Kelsey Dickenson 4, Whitney Elam 6