The Bowie Lady Rabbits went 2-2 and finished third at their hosted Gayno Shelton Hoopin’ into the Holidays tournament on Tuesday.
It did not start off well on Monday. The Lady Rabbits fell to Childress 40-28, with the team wearing down from the Lady Cats full court press in the second half. Maddie Mandela and Ziba Robbins combined to score 22 points for the team.
Bowie bounced back with a good win against Graham in the second game 45-31. The team was able to limit the Lady Blues tall post and not let anyone else hurt them offensively while the Lady Rabbits scored the ball better and more balanced than the first game.
Mandela led the team with 18 points while Kayleigh Crow was second with 12 and Robbins added 10.
Bowie then played a state-ranked Windthorst team for a chance to play in the championship game. The Lady Rabbits came back from a 28-16 halftime defecit to make it close in the final seconds. Mandela scored 10 of her team high 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Despite the Lady Trojans missing 50% of their free throws, they made enough in the late stretches to secure the win 45-41.
Crow was second with eight points while Robbins and Maycie Metzler each added seven points.
The loss set up a rematch against Childress for the third place prize. After playing the Lady Cats once already and watching their other games in the tournament, Bowie was more ready to face the full-court press.
It was a close three quarters with leads not growing too much for either team. The score was tied at 34-34 heading into the final period.
The Lady Rabbits received a big blow when Mandela fouled out of the game with four minutes left to play. It looked like Childress would pull ahead and initially it did.
Bowie battled to get back into the game and through some good fortune and grit, found itself with the ball under the Lady Cats basket with seven seconds left to play.
After at time out to draw up a play, Emily Cueva found Crow cutting to the basket for a quick hitting layup that went in with four seconds left to play to put the team up by one point. The desperate heave from Childress had no chance and the Lady Rabbits won 46-45.
Mandela again led the team with 19 points despite not playing the final four minutes. She earned all-tournament honors.
Robbins was second with nine points and Metzler scored seven.
Coach Matthew Miller was most proud his team played better over the course of the tournament.
“Our girls competed hard, yesterday especially,” Miller said. “We got put in a situation where Maddie fouled out with more than four minutes left in the game. It would have been real easy for us to fold up tent, but dug down deep and found a way to get it done.”

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