BULLARD — The battle of the Lady Panthers in District 16-3A featured four lead changes and a tale of two halves with Spring Hill rolling until a scoring drought of more than 11 minutes.

Alex Abercrombie and Bridgette Taylor came on strong in the final half, aiding Bullard to 47-38 league win on Tuesday night at Panther Gymnasium.

Spring Hill’s Leslie Blevins led her team to a 20-10 halftime lead with six of her seven points in the game.

Taylor’s defensive efforts on Blevins proved to be a difference maker in the final half while she also scored 11 of her 12 points in the final periods.

Spring Hill controlled the boards throughout the first half and spread out the scoring for a 14-9 advantage after one quarter.

Blevins scored her sixth point of the game at the 5:24 mark of the second period for a 20-10 Spring Hill lead.

Both teams then went cold until Bullard freshman Lexi Kirgan scored a bucket with 4 seconds left in the half.

Maddie Slater hit a 3-pointer to start off the second half comeback for Bullard to slice the Spring Hill lead to 20-15 early in the third period.

Taylor and Kirgan made a basket apiece to close the game to 21-19.

Meanwhile Spring Hill struggled from the field and did not score a field goal for more than 11 minutes.

Taylor gave Bullard its first lead of the game with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 22-21.

The drought rubbed off on Bullard as the quarter finished at 27-26 after Ashlyn White sunk a basket to regain the Spring Hill lead.

Bullard turned up the defensive pressure to regain the lead and take the win behind a strong last half from both Taylor and Abercrombie.

Carolanna Anderson gave Bullard the final lead with an old-fashioned 3-point play, followed by baskets from Abercrombie twice and once from Kirgan to make it a 38-34.

Taylor went 6 for 6 at the line down the stretch and Abercrombie added in a trey and eight of her 13 points to lead to the win. Abercrombie led Bullard (12-8, 2-0 District 16-3A) in scoring, while Taylor and Kirgan added 12 points apiece.

Spring Hill (6-9, 0-1) got 12 points from Madison Martin, followed by Audrey Popelar with eight points.

———

District 16-3A Girls

Bullard 47, Spring Hill 38

Spring Hill 14 6 7 11 — 38

Bullard 9 3 20 15 — 47

SPRING HILL — Audrey Popelar, 8; Ann Hollas, 2; Jacey Fleet, 3; Leslie Blevins, 7; Ashlyn White, 6; Madison Martin, 12.

BULLARD — Bridgette Taylor, 12; Lexi Abercrombie, 13; Maddie Slater, 5; Lexi Kirgan, 12; Carolanna Anderson, 5.

THREE POINT GOALS — SH: Fleet. B: Slater, Taylor, Abercrombie.

RECORDS — Spring Hill 6-9 (0-1); Bullard 12-8 (2-0).

JV SCORE — Bullard 44, Spring Hill 11.

NEXT UP — Spring Hill at Texas High, 6 p.m. Friday; Bullard at Rusk, 6 p.m. Friday.