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Kiki Gonzales gains control of the basketball with one hand. The Lady Cardinals will play the O’Donnell-Buena Vista winner in the regional quarterfinals.
RANKIN — Hermleigh’s inside game proved too much for Marfa during Thursday’s Class 1A area basketball playoff game.
Post players Aaliyah Sneed, Kiki Gonzales and Kelsey Digby combined for 45 points to lead the Lady Cardinals to a 78-34 victory.
“They helped break the game open in the second quarter,” Hermleigh head coach Grant Gooch said. “We kept attacking and realized what moves we had to make. We started doing that during the second quarter and continued for the remainder of the game.”
Sneed scored a game-high 25 points. Gonzales had 16 points and Kelsey Digby added four points. Brishya Sneed finished with 13 points.
Kaci Flores led Marfa with 12 points while Alyssa Olivera scored 10 points. Priscilla Serrano had five points.
The Lady Cardinals (26-2) advanced to the regional quarterfinals and will play tonight’s O’Donnell-Buena Vista matchup. The time and location is expected to be decided Saturday.
Marfa took a 7-2 lead early in the first quarter, but Lillyan Digby’s 3-pointer and Kelsey Digby’s field goal tied the game at 7-7.
The lead changed three times before Hermleigh scored eight points to build a 17-11 lead going into the second quarter.
Brishaya Sneed’s 3-pointer increased the lead to nine points. Hermleigh finished the quarter on a 13-1 run to take a 38-14 halftime lead.
The Lady Cardinals were able to build a 53-21 lead going into the fourth quarter.
“We wanted to attack inside and then go from there with the rest of our game,” Gooch said. “Our defensive rotation was excellent. We just kept going. The players coming off the bench played like the starters did. We are a second half team. We are at our best when we can wear down the other team and keep pushing the ball up and down the court.”
Gooch said he and his team will wait to learn who the next opponent will be.
“We won’t know until late Friday for sure, but I expect it to be O’Donnell,” Gooch said. “It’s anyone’s game right now and everything comes down to execution. We plan to continue to do that in the next game.”
Hermleigh 17 21 15 25—78
Marfa 11 3 9 11—34
Hermleigh scorers — Aaliyah Sneed 25, Kiki Gonzales 16, Brishaya Sneed 13, Lillyan Digby 9, Kelsey Digby 4, Sandra Carr 4, Ciera Digby 3, Kami Smith 2, Amanda Long 2.
Marfa scorers — Kaci Flores 12, Alyssa Olivera 10, Priscilla Serrano, 5, Shelby Martinez 4, Kendra Serrano 2, Isabella Morales 1.