Lady Mules back on winning track with win over Malden

The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules continue to showcase their confidence on the basketball court.

With seven games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Lady Mules aimed to add more wins to their record entering Thursday’s game. The Lady Mules hosted the Malden Green Wave and they needed a near-perfect game to sneak past with a win.

The Lady Mules came out scorching and never took their foot off the gas as they rolled past the Green Wave 61-45. The Lady Mules improved to 7-12 and have gone 5-3 since the beginning of the new year.

After missing the previous home game due to illness, senior Kennedy Zgaynor came back with a vengeance. The Lady Mules suffered dearly with a gap in their offense, but the return of Zgaynor gave them the spark they needed. She finished with 14 points, dished out three assists and snatched away two steals for the Lady Mules.

“It was a good win,” Zgaynor said. “We all came together tonight, and it was just a good team effort. Everybody did their job, and that’s all I can ask for. I was just excited to get back in front of our crowd and with the team. I love playing with these girls.”

Defense and consistent shots were the key for the Lady Mules as they stepped onto the floor. Junior Ireland Gowen got the offense rolling for the Lady Mules with a clean shot under the basket, and Abby Wilson followed with a 3-pointer to give them a major boost to start the game.

With multiple good looks at the rim, the Lady Mules managed to build a solid lead over Malden on a 13-2 run, which triggered a quick timeout from the Green Wave. Malden eventually made some adjustments and began to find their rhythm.

Despite the made baskets from Malden, it did not halt the Lady Mules from racking up points as they stayed in attack mode for a 38-26 halftime lead.

The Lady Mules held Malden to six points in the third, showcasing their improved defense. Malden was forced to take many outside shots as the Lady Mules emphasized clogging up the paint to hold off any attacks to the basket.

While holding a 50-34 lead to start the final period, the Lady Mules held their composure and kept Malden from attempting a run. The Lady Mules played with a lot of confidence and proved they were the better team in this matchup.

Wilson led the Lady Mules with 16 points, three rebounds and nine steals. Senior Darneasha Danner added 14 points, three rebounds and five steals, while Gowen chipped in with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Wilson said the win felt good, but she saw many things that needed improvement. With the Lady Mules’ upcoming schedule, correcting sloppy passes and being mentally prepared is the key because she knows the game will not be any easier. She said her goal is to step up more for the team, and when it comes to their confidence, it’s always a work in progress.

“I definitely had been slacking on the defensive end,” Wilson said. “I felt like I needed to prove that I could do much more to help us by stepping up my play on defense. We’ve just been preaching on coming out, starting with a good attitude. When we come out not as active, it doesn’t really work out. When we step out with more energy, that’s when we do our best, so we’re really focused on starting really positive for the remainder of the season.”

The Lady Mules will stay in the area for their next game as they travel to Dexter to play the Lady Bearcats at 7:30 p.m. Monday.