Senior Night was a big success for West Lincoln’s basketballteams but it meant bad news for Natchez Cathedral. Senior forwardAlicia Kennedy scored 20 points as the Lady Bears beat Cathedral’sgirls 69-30, while senior guard Tyler Smith sparked the Bears with31 points in a 90-60 Tuesday night victory over the Green Wave.

During an emotional, pregame ceremony in Jack Case Gymnasium,the 11 West Lincoln seniors and their parents were recognized.Senior girls included Kennedy, Lauren Smith and Monica Price, plusmanager Christine Hunt and statistician Danielle Sasser. SeniorBears honored were Smith, Jake Adams, Kevin King, Ian Smith, CodyWarren and Blake Emfinger.

“These seniors are a real fun bunch to be around,” said WestLincoln head coach Lane Young. “You never know what they’re goingto do.”

The Lady Bears (20-3, 11-0), seeded No. 1 innext week’s Division 7-1A Tournament at West Lincoln, roared to a37-8 halftime lead. Point guard Lauren Smith followed Kennedy with13 points. Guard Erica Shaw added 11 points.

On the backboards, Kennedy grabbed 8 rebounds. She also had 4steals.

Cathedral (5-18, 1-10), trailed 51-19 entering the fourthquarter. The Lady Wave got 11 points and 10 rebounds from KristianDubard. Mattie Smith also had 11 points.

The Bears (15-8, 10-1), need a victory atPelahatchie Friday night to secure No. 1 seeding in the divisiontournament which starts Monday in Case Gymnasium. They struggledwith Cathedral’s post game which was led by 6-1 junior Matthew Hallwho sacked 29 points.

Hall, wearing an aluminum brace on his left knee to support atorn MCL suffered during the football season, consistently workedinside for putbacks and rebounds. The Wave trailed 39-28 athalftime, consistently outrebounding the Bears.

Smith sacked back-to-back jumpers from the corners to start thesecond half. Kevin King sank a trey and Smith scored again, givingthe Bears an 18-point, 48-30 lead with 4:21 showing.

King finished with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Shane Lynch added12 points. Stephen Jones made 5 assists.

“Our guards did a good job guarding all night,” said CoachYoung. “Our post defense was better in the second half and weattacked the goal.”

Young’s Bears had escaped with a narrow 44-43 win at Cathedrallast month. Lynch had made 3 straight clutch free throws afterbeing fouled on a desperation, half-court try at the end of thegame.

“We started off terrible and got in a big hole,” said Cathedralfirst-year head coach Peter Arnold, reviewing last night’s game.”West Lincoln pressed the tempo and we didn’t want to run withthem.

“Matt Hall did a good job inside for us, but Matt Goss was ascold as ice,” limited to just 2 points. Goss, a guard, usuallyleads Cathedral in scoring.

The Wave (9-14, 5-6) got 11 points and 5 rebounds from forwardClay Pennington.

In the JV girls game, West Lincoln prevailed26-16, led by Candy Herring’s 11 points.