Lady Mules down Naylor

Maintaining good spirits while trying to push through a tough season can be hard for any team, so capturing a win at home was what the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules needed to kick off the second half of the season.

The Lady Mules hosted the Naylor Lady Eagles on Thursday, and with both teams struggling, securing a win would provide both teams some much-needed positivity to their season.

After a hot start, the Lady Mules continued to thrive and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 64-37 win over Naylor. Senior Kennedy Zgaynor led the way with 17 points.

Zgaynor said it felt good to get the win over Naylor and hopes the momentum will carry over to their next few games. Though the Lady Mules have struggled for most of the season, Zgaynor said the team’s connection has motivated them to push through.

“I’m pretty excited about the win,” Zgaynor said. “I thought we executed very well, and everyone went out there and did their job. I have to credit my teammates for putting me in those good positions to succeed, and that’s all I can ask for. What’s kept us in good spirits this season is just our cohesiveness. We love each other, and we hold each other accountable. If we mess up, we continue to cheer each other on and play through it. I love these girls, and I’ll do anything for them.”

While both teams entered the game with similar records, the team that made the first run ultimately got the win.

The Lady Mules stepped onto the floor with a lot of confidence in the first opening minutes of the game. Senior Abby Wilson got things rolling for Poplar Bluff with a dagger from beyond the 3-point arc. From that moment, the Lady Mules went on an 18-7 run to close out the first.

While holding a strong lead heading into halftime, the Lady Mules kept that same fire for the remainder of the game. Though trailing, Naylor attempted to go on a run for a chance to hop back out front, but with the offense rolling for the Lady Mules, that chance was slim to none.

The Lady Mules continued to add points to the scoreboard and ultimately picked up their third win of the season.

Wilson finished with 13 points and three rebounds, while Kaydence Huskey had seven points and three rebounds, and Ireland Gowen had seven points and 14 rebounds for the Lady Mules.

Lady Mules coach Soley Dugas said the team has worked hard all year and that she shared a message with them before the game.

“I told the team that the game rewards you when you are fundamental and you play hard, and the game can also humble you and we’ve been on the humbling side for long enough,” Dugas said. “I think it was our time to finally get a reward, so I’m just proud of them and thankful to have a good team that listens because we’ve come a long way.”

Dugas said having a positive mindset and realizing there’s more to life than just basketball has allowed the Lady Mules to stay positive.

“I’m teaching these girls how to work together, battle through adversity, lean on one another, and become stronger, better people, and that’s what’s carrying us through,” Dugas said. “Whenever the basketball gets a bit overwhelming, or things are not going our way, I focus on the big picture of their growth as a person,”

The Lady Mules will travel to Sikeston next Thursday to take on the Lady Bulldogs.