ENDING ON A HIGH NOTE

Clifton girls basketball dominates Harmony School of Innovation on the road in Waco as Lady Cubs close out season with big District 17-3A win

Despite being already eliminated from postseason contention, the Clifton Lady Cubs girls basketball team made the most of their opportunities in the season finale.

With all 11 players on the roster scoring points, the Lady Cubs crushed the Waco Harmony School of Innovation, 69-1, on the road last Friday night to wrap up their District 17-3A schedule. Despite entering the season with a veteran squad focused on returning to the playoffs, multiple injuries to key starters derailed their season at the holiday break.

“The girls had a tough battle this year,” Clifton girls basketball head coach Whitney Holdbrook said. “They learned a lot from each game. I believe this will push them in the offseason to prepare for next year. We will be losing four seniors who have contributed a lot to this team. Each player will be missed.”

With the season finale, the Lady Cubs (4-8 in district, 14-16 overall) will be saying goodbye to seniors Carley Caniford, a three-year letterman and two-year captain; Camryn Caniford, a three-year letterman; Kambrie Kettler, a three-year letterman; and Kimberlee Walker, a one-year letterman.

Against Harmony, Carley Caniford led the Lady Cubs with 13 points and six steals, followed by junior Laylah Gaona with 10 points and three steals, along with junior Kate Humphreys, sophomore Delilah Martinez and Walker with eight points each.

In the end, the Lady Cubs found the amount of adversity handed to them just too much to overcome. Despite shocking the eventual district champion Maypearl Lady Panthers (9-3, 21-13), 41-39, Jan. 24 to surge back into postseason contention, the Lady Cubs suffered back-to-back losses to Whitney (6-6, 14-16) and playoff-bound West (7-5, 13-13) to be eliminated from any playoff possibilities. With Maypearl leading the way, Grandview (8-4, 23-8), Keene (8-4, 25-8) and West will represent District 17-3A in the playoffs.

In a do-or-die game for both teams, the West Lady Trojans left no doubt with a convincing 39-20 victory over the Lady Cubs at the Clifton High School gymnasium in a contest rescheduled two days later due to the icy winter weather event across North and Central Texas. West shot 50 percent from the field to build a commanding 24-11 lead by halftime before putting the game away by outscoring the Lady Cubs, 9-2, in the third period.

Junior Brianna Gonzalez led Clifton with six points, followed by Gaona with five points and sophomore Camy Barsh with four points and a team-high four rebounds, while Carley Caniford delivered a team-high two assists and grabbed three steals.

Looking for their second straight postseason berth, the Lady Cubs found themselves on the brink of elimination following a heartbreaking 44-41 overtime loss to the arch-rival Whitney Lady Wildcats on the road Jan. 27

But against Whitney, the Lady Cubs turned the ball over 27 times and managed to shoot only 31.7 percent from the field. After jumping out to a 15-9 lead in the first quarter, Clifton clung to a three-point advantage at halftime before trailing 32-30 after three periods. The Lady Cubs rallied in the fourth to force overtime, but Whitney responded on overtime for the crucial win.

Gonzalez led the Lady Cubs with 11 points, 11 rebounds and two assists, followed by Gaona with seven points, nine rebounds and two assists, and Humphreys with six points, eight rebounds and two steals. Freshman Avary Woosley added six points, three assists and two steals, while junior Reagan Thomas pulled down seven rebounds, Caniford grabbed six boards.

In the surprising win over Maypearl, the Lady Panthers enjoyed a four-point lead at halftime, but the Lady Cubs surged in the third period, outscoring Maypearl, 16-6. Taking a six-point advantage into the fourth period, Clifton held off a late Maypearl rally to secure the shocking victory. Clifton overcame 33 turnovers as the Lady Panthers committed 22 fouls. As a result, the Lady Cubs sank 13 of 22 free throw shots, while Maypearl only managed three points from the charity line.

Woosley led Clifton with 14 points and six steals, followed by Gaona with 10 points and three assists, along with Gonzalez with six points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Barsh added six points, while Humphreys pulled down seven rebounds.

“The team came out with a lot of energy and determination,” Holdbrook said. “We were down at halftime and talked about some adjustments that needed to be made in the second half. Then, the girls went out the third quarter and executed those adjustments.”