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DENHAM SPRINGS— Those watching from the stands could see that Thursday’s meet between East St. John and Denham Springs was anyone’s game. Denham Springs ultimately held on to a 49-47 win, ending the Lady Cats’ season in round one of the Class 5A girls basketball playoffs.

East St. John came into the game as the underdog No. 23 seed against Denham Spring’s No. 10 ranking. However, the teams appeared evenly matched on the court. The score was neck-and-neck through the second quarter, at one point tied 21-21. East St. John’s Lia Anderson made a goal against the buzzer to give the Lady Cats a 28-25 lead at halftime.

Denham Springs struggled without starting point guard Violett Jackson, who was sidelined by injury at the end of the regular season. However, they were equipped with skilled senior player Kate Thompson, who scored 20 points during the game and gave the Yellow Jackets a 48-47 lead in the final minute of the game.

The pressure was all on East St. John sophomore Alaysha Soniat’s shoulders when she stepped onto the free throw line after a foul, with less than five seconds remaining in the game. A miss allowed the Yellow Jackets to rebound and end the game 49-47.

Despite the loss, it’s been a successful season for the Lady Cats. They recorded far more wins than losses and ended with a respectable 23-8 record.