Purdy Lady Eagles take fifth place in Aurora tournament

Battle for the ball Democrat Photo/Jared Lankford Purdy's Mattie White battles for a loose ball during last Tuesday night's game against Walnut Grove in the Aurora Tournament. Purdy finished fifth in the eight-team field. [Order this photo]

The Lady Eagles and Lady Houn's were deadlocked at 12-12 after the first frame, but Purdy took a 32-27 advantage into halftime.

Addy Roller had 30 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists to lead the Lady Eagles. Mattie White contributed 10 points, 14 rebounds and 3 steals. Taylor Moller and Rachel Neill added 9 points each. Billie House recorded 3 points, and Katie Hughes finished with 2 points.

Purdy vs. Central

Last Thursday night, the Lady Eagles rallied from 13 points down in the third quarter to defeat the Central Lady Bulldogs 57-48 in the consolation bracket of the Aurora Tournament.

"I was really proud of the girls for digging deep and finding a way to come back and win," said Purdy coach Grant Young.

"That being said, we made too many mistakes tonight," Young continued. "We need to play more and more like a team and pick each other up when we are down. We need to be more selective in our possessions and not try to force things."

Purdy led 20-13 at the end of one quarter of play and 29-22 heading into intermission. The Lady Bulldogs' offense woke up in the third period, outscoring the Lady Eagles 20-10 in the frame to take a 42-39 lead into the final period. Purdy won the battle in the final quarter, outscoring Central 18-6 to preserve the win.

Roller led Purdy in scoring with 30 points. Neill finished with 7 points. Kristyn Cornman and White added 6 points each, and Billie House and Katie Hughes recorded 4 points apiece.