Dillon’s Lady Wildcats Win Robeson County Shootout

Dillon’s #22 Tyshanna Lester shoots in a recent game against Lake View. Lester was named the MVP of the Robeson County Shootout girls basketball tournament. (Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD.)

Dillon’s Lady Wildcats claimed the girls basketball championship title in the Robeson County Shootout on Saturday, December 21, at UNC Pembroke.

It was the first championship appearance in the shootout for the Dillon girls, as they knocked out the two-time defending champion Lumberton in the second round.

The Lady Cats defeated Purnell Swett 62-32 in the first round of the tournament on Wednesday, December 18, to advance to face Lumberton on Friday.

Dillon took a 12-5 lead in the first quarter with an aggressive defense and held an 18-12 lead at the half. The Wildcats outscored Lumberton 18-14 in the third and 11-10 in the fourth for a 47-36 win.

Tyshanna Lester led the Wildcats with a game-high 19 points and Brianna Lee added 10 in the win, with Da’Kerhia Samuel adding nine, Yolanda Campbell adding six, and Nakedra Page and Tejah Breeden each contributing two. Lester and Lee each hit two three-point goals in the win.

Lumberton was led by Randi Bullard with a team-high 14 points, with Alexis Andrews adding 8; Asaya Graham, 6; Mariah Locklear, 6; and Maya McKoy, 2. Graham and Locklear each hit a three-point goal for the Lady Pirates.

The win advanced the Wildcats to the championship game against Richmond County at UNC Pembroke on Saturday.

Dillon took a 14-2 lead in the first quarter and outscored Richmond 16-9 in the second for a 30-11 lead at the half. Led by Lester, the Wildcats kept up the pressure in the third to go 17-10 for a 47-21 lead. Richmond rallied to outscore Dillon 18-12 in the fourth, but it was too little, too late, as the Wildcats won their first shootout title 59-39.

Lester scored a game-high 24 points with Lee adding 11 and Khamele Manning earning 10 points in the win. Samuel added seven, Campbell scored three, and Shar’asia Samuel and Kendra McLeod each added two. Lester and Lee once again each hit two three-point goals and Manning added one in the win.

Richmond was led by Shaquail Wall with 12 points. Douglas added 7; Jade Evans, 6; LaGrand, 4; Ellerbe, 3; Griffin, 2; Smith, 2; B. Everett, 2; and Maske 2. Wall hit two three-pointers for Richmond and Ellerbe and Douglas each hit a three-point shot.

While Dillon took first place in the tournament, Lumberton earned third place with a 38-30 win over Red Springs, and St. Pauls took fifth with a 61-57 overtime win over Purnell Swett.

Dillon’s Brianna Lee, Da’Kerhia Samuel, and Tyshanna Lester were all named to the All-Tournament Team, and Lester was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Lester scored 62 points in the tournament.

Richmond’s Shaquail Wall and Jade Evans were also named to the All-Tournament Team, along with South Robeson’s A’terria Quick; Fairmont’s Carrington Mitchell; Lumberton’s Randi Bullard; Purnell Swett’s Mikala Lowry; Alexis Roberson of St. Pauls; and Shantanna Norris from Red Springs.

The Wildcats took a break for the holidays but the girls will be back in action on Thursday, January 2, in the Little Caesar’s Shootout where they will take on Bluffton in the first round. The Lady Wildcats are currently undefeated at 7-0.

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