By Jeff Devine, Editor-in-Chief, Dale County Chronicle.
ARITON —A renewed emphasis on defense paid off big time Friday night as the Ariton Lady Cats bounced back in a major way, defeating Barbour County 47–27 in girls basketball action on Friday.
After struggling defensively in their previous two outings, the Lady Cats delivered one of their strongest all-around performances of the season, controlling the game with improved communication, rebounding, and defensive intensity.
Madolyn Hudson led the way with a dominant double-double, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Macileigh Bragg also posted a double-double, contributing 12 points and 10 rebounds. Nevaeh Williams added six points and eight rebounds, while KJ Woodfaulk was a force on the boards with 13 rebounds to go along with five points. Lizzy Woodfaulk chipped in four points, and Ayari McCloud rounded out the scoring with three points.
The Dale County Chronicle spoke with Ariton girls basketball head coach Bridget Whitehurst after the game and asked about what steps were taken to turn around the team’s performance. Whitehurst credited the team’s renewed focus and leadership for the turnaround.
“We have been focusing on defense and small things,” Whitehurst said. “AC was our vocal leader as well, making sure everyone was in their right places. We have struggled with communication and with defense, and tonight we did a much better job.”
AC Free, one of the team’s strongest and most consistent scorers, has been benched for the season after a serious injury and surgery took her out of play.
The Lady Cats’ defensive pressure limited Barbour County’s scoring opportunities throughout the night and allowed Ariton to build and maintain control from start to finish.
With the win, the Lady Cats gain momentum heading deeper into the season, showing clear improvement on the defensive end and maintaining a balanced approach in scoring and rebounding.
The Lady Cats have six regular games remaining in the season and will host Ashford on January 20. They will then travel to play county and school system rival G.W. Long on January 23. Both games start at 5:30 p.m.
Pictured above is the current Ariton girls basketball team, accompanied by Head Coach Bridget Whitehurst (far right).
