Prep Basketball: Lady Hawks knock off Petal 49-41 Tuesday night on the road

Hancock’s Caitlyn Ladner looks for a passing partner vs. Petal Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PETAL — The Hancock girls basketball team has gotten off to an impressive start the last three seasons by reeling off double digits in win totals to begin each year.
And while that wasn’t the case for the current campaign, the Lady Hawks are still off to a pretty solid beginning to the new season.

Hancock’s Paityn Langley heads to the hoop with a shot vs. Petal Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock’s Lexi Dreher manages to maintain control of her dribble as Calie Patterson of Petal pursues Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock’s Kinley Ball reaches out for the ball vs. Petal Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock’s Paityn Langley goes hard to the hoop vs. Petal Tuesday night as Lady Panther Matalyn Butler reacts. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock slipped past home-standing Petal 49-40 Tuesday night to move to 3-1 so far. The only loss for head coach Jamie Sisco’s kids so far came to Harrison Central, which is unbeaten at 5-0 so far this year.
Tuesday night’s win was the second straight for Hancock on the road in the Hattiesburg area, after a 29-21 decision over Presbyterian Christian late last week.
Aganst Petal, Long Beach transfer Paityn Langley tallied eight first half points for Hancock, including six in the first period, and Lexi Ladner also had eight points, with all of hers coming in the second stanza as the Lady Hawks turned a 10-10 tie after the opening quarter into a 23-15 halftime advantage.

Hancock’s Kinley Ball stays focused on the basket as he pulls up her dribble while Cailie Patterson of Petal defends Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock’s Kinley Ball (5) and Jayda Anglin battle for the ball as Petal’s Kate Causey ponders her options Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock’s Paityn Langley looks for some operating room down low on the block as Petal’s Makayla Spears defends Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Hancock’s Caitlyn Ladner makes a pass as Petal’s bailey Williams defends Tuesday night. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Maylee Cuevas then stepped up for the visitors in the second half and drained a pair of 3-pointers to help keep the Lady Panthers at bay down the stretch.
Laingley paced a balanced Hancock scoring attack with 12 points, while both Cuevas and Ladner chipped in 10 points apiece to the winning effort.
Matalyn Butler had eight points for Petal.
Both the Hancock boys and girls host D’Iberville Thursday night.