Lady Tigers upended by Center in regular-season finale

In their regular-season finale Friday night at Wynn Gym, the Nevada Lady Tigers were defeated 47-35 by the Center High School Lady Yellowjackets.

Nevada (9-16 overall, 4-8 West Central Conference) stayed close as Lady Tigers' freshman guard Payge Dahmer poured in eight first quarter points, including two 3-pointers. Nevada trailed 15-12 entering the second quarter.

The second frame was played to a 6-6 draw, with Nevada's baskets coming from guards Calli Beshore and Hailey Jackson. Center led 21-18 at halftime.

After connecting on 10 3-pointers in its previous game, the Lady Tigers continued the trend, heating up from long-range in the third quarter.

Beshore's second 3-pointer of the third trimmed Center's lead to four. Also connecting on treys for Nevada, were Jackson and Dahmer. Combining for nine third quarter points were Center's inside-out duo: 6-foot-5 center Jazmine Lewis, and 5-foot-5 guard Sckiya Banister. The Lady Yellowjackets (16-9, 9-3 WCC) outscored Nevada 15-12 in the third to push its lead to 36-30.

In the fourth, Lewis and Banister again did the heavy lifting offensively for Center, chipping in two baskets apiece. Nevada was unable to cut into Center's lead in the fourth, as late turnovers proved costly ---- allowing the Lady Yellowjackets to pull away for the 12-point victory.

Dahmer finished with a team-high 15 points, while Beshore tallied 11; Jackson, five and Teagan Charles, four. Leading Center in scoring was Lewis, with a game-high 17 points, while Banister chipped in 14.

Nevada head coach Brent Bartlett said he is impressed with the improvement his team has made since the teams last met. That contest was Feb. 17 in Kansas City, as Center won 55-29.

"I'm really proud of how we competed," Bartlett said. "We played with a 'bring-it-on' attitude. I told the team after the game, 'Do not leave the locker room with your head down. They played extremely hard."

Bartlett continued: "It was a physical defensive effort. We've had to learn this year how to play physical. Playing a team like that makes us better. I'm proud of our team, we did a super job."

Bartlett said his young team ---- with a starting lineup comprised of four freshmen and a sophomore ---- have made big strides since day one of practice.

"This probably sums it up better than anything," Bartlett began. "We were having almost 30 turnovers a game (earlier in the season), and now we're down to 13, 14, 15 a game. When you have more possessions to score, you're going to get better."

Up next

The Class 4 District 12 Tournament, as the fourth-seeded Lady Tigers matchup against fifth-seeded, and host-school Clinton, with tip off scheduled for 4:30 p.m., Monday.

"This is a rebuilding year, and we knew that going into it," Bartlett noted. "Our goal has been to improve every week, and in each and every game ---- and we've done that. Now our third season starts Monday, and every team is 0-0."

This story will appear in Tuesday's edition of the Daily Mail