Report by Blake Smith
The Melbourne Lady Bearkatz won their second consecutive state championship Thursday night with a 47-28 win over the Quitman Lady Bulldogs.
The first quarter was a defensive struggle, as both teams exchanged turnovers and spent the first 4:06 of the game scoreless.
Two Lady Bearkat three-pointers served as the difference, as Melbourne led 6-5 after one period.
The second quarter, as has been the norm this postseason, was where the Lady Katz thrived, outscoring Quitman 26-9, thanks in part to 4-4 shooting from three-point range, along with going 10-14 from the field.
The Lady Bulldogs could never find an answer offensively in the second half, due to stifling interior defense, blocking eight shots and forcing 16 Quitman turnovers.
The Lady Katz defense held the Lady Bulldogs to 10-43 shooting from the field and 2-18 from the three-point range.
The Lady Bearkatz finish their season with a record of 34-2, with an undefeated record against all Class 2A schools.
