The Bowie Lady Rabbits won both games this week following Christmas break.
The Lady Rabbits beat Eastland on Monday 48-36 to get them ready to play district opponent Jacksboro on Wednesday, who they beat 40-23.
The game against the Lady Mavericks got off to a fast start from both teams offensively. Bowie led 15-14 after the first quarter, but it was the Lady Rabbits offense that allowed them to establish control.
The pressure and trapping held Eastland to only four points in the second quarter as Bowie led 27-18 at halftime.
The Lady Mavericks scored more points in the second quarter, but not enough to make up the deficit as the Lady Rabbits rolled to a double-digit win.
While it was a nice win, it was a tune up game for the home district game against a tough and physical Lady Tigers team.
Early on both team’s defenses made their intentions known. Jacksboro was going to full-court pressure the ball and play man-to-man defense. Bowie’s full-court defense was all about trapping while playing zone in the halfcourt.
The Lady Rabbits ball handlers avoided any catastrophe and were getting shots they wanted, but early on not much was going in.
On the other side, the Lady Tigers tried to methodically pass through the traps, but passes kept going off target as Bowie forced a lot of turnovers. Even when Jacksboro found its way through the press, players kept getting trapped in the corners and turning the ball over.
The Lady Rabbits started to score as the first quarter wound down as Logan ended the quarter scoring nine of the team’s 11 points while holding the Lady Tigers to just two points.
The second quarter was a bit more even. Jacksboro broke through the press a couple of times to find their big post player, who scored through contact while drawing a foul ahead of the rest of the defense.
Bowie found several ways to the free throw line, though only half of them went in.
Baskets from Taygon Jones and a 3-pointer from Gunter allowed the Lady Rabbits to keep the Lady Tigers at bay as the score heading into halftime was 20-12.
The third quarter saw both teams defenses continue to limit the other team.
Jacksboro started to try and trap the ballhandler, but usually Bowie’s Jones and Logan were able to avoid danger and even exploited it with drives to the lane when they could see it was coming.
While the Lady Rabbits had several good chances at the rim, the ball just would not go in. A 3-pointer and flip shot in the lane from Logan was all Bowie could score in the third quarter.
Fortunately, the Lady Tigers continued to struggle with turnovers. The Lady Rabbits were daring any perimeter players to fire from deep in the half court to dissuade any passes into the post. Jacksboro finally made them pay with a made 3-pointer, but did not do much else offensively.
Both teams scored only five points as Bowie still was in control 25-17 heading into the fourth quarter.
Midway through the quarter, Jacksboro had cut the lead to 27-21. The Lady Rabbits would need to execute offensively down the stretch if they wanted to keep this lead.
Bowie put the ball in Jones and Gamblin’s hands, who both made a basket, but mostly were fouled as the minutes ticked by and sent to the free throw line.
Both ended the quarter scoring six points apiece as they made enough to grow the lead.
The Lady Tigers scored only once more the rest of the game as they fell farther and farther behind. Gunter put the cherry on top with another 3-pointer as the Lady Rabbits late scoring stretch made the final score 40-23.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.