Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Some might have said the Mineral Wells Lady Rams had nothing to play for in Tuesday’s home and season finale. They would have been wrong. They were playing for pride.

A year ago the Lady Rams finished above .500 and qualified for the post-season. This season didn’t play out as well. Mineral Wells entered Tuesday’s final game below .500 and winless in District 6-4A. A win against Graham would even the season record and let the Lady Rams notch one victory.

It wasn’t to be, though not for a lack of effort and fight. Graham, which entered the contest with just one district win, escaped Rams Gym with a 35-33 win.

With four seconds remaining, Maci Ruelas fired a three-point shot for the win. The ball went in and then spun out of the basket. Ruelas followed her shot and was able to get her own rebound. Head coach Michael Ball called timeout with one second left. 

Kahlea Samples inbounded the ball to Aniya Richardson, who threw it right back to Samples who was able to get off another three-point try but the shot was off the mark.

Mineral Wells trailed, 18-17, after a competitive first half. The team managed just two points in the third quarter to put the Lady Blues up by eight entering the final period. The Lady Rams rallied but fell just short.

Richardson led the Lady Rams with 13 points, including three three-pointers. Playing her last game as the team’s lone senior, Samples tallied 8 points and 7 deflections. 

Mineral Wells ended their campaign with a 15-17 ledger and an 0-10 district mark. Ranked third in Class 4A, Glen Rose is the district winner with a 10-0 mark and 32-2 regular season record. Ranked 25^th, Brock finished 7-3 to claim district runner-up honors with a 22-9 regular season mark. Stephenville and Brownwood qualified for post-season by finishing third and fourth, respectively.