By JOSEPH W. GEX II/Sports Writer

Bay St. Louis – The Long Beach Lady Bearcats used a suffocating pressure against the Lady Gators of Gautier on Saturday to key a 33-19 victory in the Bay High Christmas Tournament. 

Long Beach head coach Jermile Fluker commented, “Prior to the game today, we talked about finishing our possessions because in yesterday’s game we did not have a complete game. We wanted to play four full quarters on both ends of the court. This is a great start to our division schedule as we open the New Year on a high note.”

Gautier jumped out to a 4-0 start but Paityn Langley sank consecutive buckets to knot the score for Long Beach. The Lady Bearcats ended the first period nursing a 10-7 lead. 

Langley pushed the score to 15-7 on consecutive buckets with the latter being a three-ball with 4:09 left in the half. Tori Washington converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 1:24 left in the half to make the score 19-9 at intermission.

The Lady Bearcats held the Lady Gators scoreless in the second half until the 5:30 mark of the fourth period when Madison Parker scored on consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 27-14. 

Gautier cut the lead to 27-18 before Long Beach went on a 6-1 run to close the game.

Fluker added, “We were able to get the job done today in large part to Paityn Langley who ran the floor for us and Tori Washington who was aggressive on the board and finished at the basket.”

Long Beach (4-13) was led by Langley with 13 points and Washington finished with 11 points. 

Gautier head coach Warren Hargrove stated, “We have to get stronger and put a hole game together. We cannot get down 10 points and not be able to score. We will get better as the year progresses. We will watch film and learn from what we did wrong in this game. Just from what transpired today, we will need to box out on defense and get second chances at the rim when division play starts.”

Gautier (2-14) was led by Maddison Parker with 5 points. 

In Friday’s games, Long Beach fell to St. Patrick 32-27 and Gautier was stopped by Picayune 58-24.