The Shepherd Lady Pirates hosted their 6th Annual Lady Pirates Turkey Shootout last week, and this year’s event proved to be one of the most competitive and successful tournaments yet.
Eight teams hit the hardwood over three days: Shepherd, New Waverly, Goodrich, Diboll, West Fork, Livingston, Lufkin JV, and Coldspring, representing schools from 1A through 4A, creating a wide-ranging and exciting mix of basketball styles.
Although the Shootout does not award trophies, Livingston would have left with the Turkey Trophy after finishing with an impressive 4-0 record. Every team played four games across the three-day span, giving athletes valuable early-season time on the court.
Head Girls Basketball Coach Eldridge McAdams emphasized the purpose of the event: “It’s simply a chance for the girls to get a few games in before district starts. Spreading the games over a few days makes it a good challenge for all the teams included.”
The results were Livingston 4-0; Shepherd and New Waverly, 3-1; West Fork and Diboll, 2-2; Coldspring, 1-3; Goodrich and Lufkin JV, 0-4.
On Thursday, Shepherd kicked off the Shootout with a 55-38 win over Lufkin JV.
Alayah Thomas led with 12 points, including a pair of deep three-pointers; Kiona King added 11 points, Jazz Richardson scored 10 points, going 5-of-6 at the line; and Dakiyah Clark contributed 9 points, including a three-pointer.
Coldspring picked up their lone win of the tournament over Goodrich, 50-36, while Shepherd dropped a tight battle to Diboll, 38-32, with the game decided by a final flurry of inside shots in the closing seconds.
On Friday, Shepherd and Coldspring squared off in a game that saw the lead change repeatedly, with both squads trading big plays and defensive stops. As the final seconds ticked away, Shepherd hit 1 of 2 free throws and then buried a clutch field goal that sealed a dramatic 39-36 victory.
For Shepherd, Jazz Richardson poured in 15 points and shot 3-of-5 from the free-throw line; and Alayah Thomas added 11 points, going 3-of-6 from the stripe.
For Coldspring, A’Layla Goffney delivered 15 strong points; and Camiyah Hines followed closely with 14 points, adding a free throw.
Saturday morning’s final round began with four teams in the final slate — West Fork vs. Coldspring and Shepherd vs. Goodrich.
West Fork, the larger program, defeated Coldspring 53-25 in the opening matchup. Shepherd closed their tournament with a strong 47-27 win over Goodrich, effectively deciding the game in the opening quarters. The comfortable lead allowed Coach McAdams to give valuable varsity minutes to younger athletes, helping build depth for the season ahead.
