TVCC Sports Notes: Cardinals top Panola, 90-75

By Benny Rogers/TVCC Sports Information

Control of the Region XIV Conference race remains with the seventh-ranked Cardinals.

Led by three double-double performances, the Cardinals subdued the Panola College Ponies for a 90-75 win Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Gym, leaving them on the verge of wrapping up the top seed headed into the regional tournament March 6-10 in Jacksonville.

With three games remaining (Feb. 21 at Navarro, Feb. 28 vs. Tyler, March 3 at Kilgore), the Cardinals are two games up on Tyler, already owning a win over the Apaches. Two wins in their final three games would assure second-year head coach Guy Furr’s squad the regional tournament’s top seed.

The Cardinals improved to 24-3 overall and 15-1 in conference with Saturday’s win.

Andres Ibarguen led the win with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Wendell Mitchell tossed in 16 points and had 11 rebounds and Lorenzo Phillips netted 13 points and dished out 11 assists.

The Cardinals led 42-30 at the half.

Wednesday’s game in Corsicana against Navarro is set to begin at 7 p.m. It will be broadcast by KCKL 95.9 FM and can be heard online at http://www.network1sports.com.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 22 Panola outscored the ninth-ranked Lady Cards 24-17 in the final quarter Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Gym to escape with a 63-61 Region XIV Conference victory.

The loss dropped the Lady Cards to 23-4 on the year and 13-4 in conference. They are currently in third place behind Jacksonville and Panola, though Jacksonville is ineligible for postseason due to NJCAA sanctions.

The Lady Cards are scheduled to return to action Wednesday at home against Angelina. Game time is 5:30 p.m.

Mercedes Brooks fired in 20 points to lead the Lady Cards. Tyasia Moore and Arleighsya McElroy also scored in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.

SOFTBALL

The Lady Cardinals went 2-4 on their trip to Mississippi and Alabama last week.

The Lady Cardinals will carry a 6-8 season record into a doubleheader Tuesday against Iowa Western at Drumgoole Field at Cain Park. Action is set to start at 2 p.m.

The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to travel Saturday to Oklahoma to face Eastern Oklahoma in doubleheader action at 2 p.m.

The Lady Cardinals started their road trip to the east splitting a doubleheader against Southwest Mississippi, winning the first game 5-0 and dropping a 5-4 decision in Game 2. In the Sun Chief Classic in Gulf Shores, AL, the Lady Cardinals defeated Coastal Alabama, 4-1, and fell to Shelton State, 6-3, Pearl River, 3

The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to be at home on Tuesday, Feb. 20 against Iowa Western in doubleheader action starting at 2 p.m.