By DANI BLACKBURN

dani@postoakmedia.net

The Forestburg High School girls’ basketball team opened the play for Montague County teams at the Chico Tournament on Thursday.
The Lady Longhorns stayed with the Paradise Lady Panthers in the top two quarters, going into halftime with a tied score of 23-all. However, Forestburg was missing the scoring power of Makayla Mason who typically brings in 30 percent of the team’s points.
Despite missing Mason due to a knee injury, the team still managed to put up 40 points. The Lady Longhorns stayed with the Panthers until the fourth quarter when Lady Panther Candioto managed to sink two 3-pointers to close the game 45-40.
“The tournament games aren’t about winning or losing, they are, but they’re mainly about seeing what you have and what you don’t have,” said head coach Cori Hayes. “We did just that and played well.”
Hayes enjoys returning to the Chico Tournament year after year, a tournament that he says is close to home and offers strong competition.
“The competition is good,” said Hayes. “We played Paradise JV, but when you play a 3A school that doesn’t mean anything. It’s a different competition.” Read more, and see complete tournament box scores, in the Dec. 10 Bowie News.

Forestburg’s Cayla Smelser eyes the basket during Thursday’s game against the Paradise JV at the Chico Tournament. (News photo by Dani Blackburn)