After dropping a one-point decision to Rogersville here last Thursday night, the Ava Lady Bears needed a pick-me-up. And that they got Monday night at Salem in the form of a 61-18 SCA win.
Payton Lakey had 19 points for Ava and Jorie Garrett added 16 for the Bears which held a 40-9 lead at halftime.
Others scoring for Ava were Abbie Lansdown 9, Emily Sterling 8, Bethany Horn 6, Erica Croney 2 and Bailey Lee 1.
Ava hit 9-of-11 free throws while Salem was 0-for-1 at the line.
Ava JV lost to Salem 36-27.
Last Thursday night Ava lost to Rogersville 41-40 on the home floor. Coach Clint Gazette and the Lady Bears played the game down to the wire and had a chance to win on the opening basket which rattled in and out for senior Bethany Horn.
Garrett had 19 points to lead Ava and Sterling and Lansdown had six points each. Lakey, who was recognized before the start of the game for scoring her 1,000th career point at the Cabool tournament, scored five for the Lady Bears on Thursday night.
Horn had four points for the Lady Bears.
Callie Smith led Rogersville with 13 points and Haley Rust added 11.
The Ava Junior Varsity Bears defeated Rogersville 53-41 behind a 22-point scoring attack by sophomore Bailey Lee.
The Lady Bears will not play again until Dec. 27 when they face Richland in the Lebanon Central Bank Holiday Tournament.
The Lady Bears are seeded third among nine teams there.
