The Kitty Kats dropped games last week to the Refugio Lady Cats and the Port Aransas Lady Marlins but bounced back on Tuesday, Jan. 13, with a hardfought, 40–38 victory over the Skidmore- Tynan Lady Cats.
It was a tightly contested matchup from start to finish, with Yorktown holding a narrow lead for much of the game. Gracie Stehling led the way with 20 points, while Palyn Koopmann added eight, Paige DeLeon scored seven, and Trinity Flores finished with five points. Claire Person chipped in with a free throw.
Koopmann opened the scoring for the Kitty Kats by driving past multiple defenders for a close range shot on the left side. DeLeon followed by going 2-for-2 from the freethrow line after being fouled as Yorktown worked the ball through its offense. Person then came up with a steal on an inbound play, allowing Flores to score on a fast-break layup on the right side before Skidmore-Tynan could get on the board.
With 2:40 remaining in the first quarter, the Kitty Kats trailed 12–8 when Stehling rebounded her own shot and scored while being pushed to the floor. She converted the free throw to complete a three-point play, cutting the deficit to 12–11. Moments later, Koopmann delivered a long pass down the court to Flores, who found Stehling cutting to the basket for the go-ahead score, 13–12.
Koopmann went 2for-2 at the line to extend the lead, and with 15 seconds left in the quarter, she drove down the right side for an underthe- basket finish to close the period with Yorktown leading 17–12.
The game remained back and forth in the second quarter, with the score within one at 24–23 with two minutes remaining. Skidmore-Tynan attempted a last-second shot before halftime, but the Kitty Kats held a 26–24 advantage at the break.
Stehling opened the scoring in the second half with a made free throw, and Yorktown carried a 34–32 lead into the fourth quarter. The final period continued the trend of a tight battle. Skidmore- Tynan pulled within one on a free throw, but Stehling answered with a clutch three-pointer off an inbound play to extend the lead.
Person added a free throw, and Stehling capped the scoring for the Kitty Kats with a basket underneath the rim, sealing the 40–38 win. The Kitty Kats will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 16, when they take on the Pettus Lady Eagles.
