Key’ana Wright of New Iberia (5) drives against Westgate’s Shayne Charles (33). - Lee Ball / The Daily Iberian

New Iberia Senior High went on a 10-2 run in the second quarter, including 6 points in the final 51 seconds, to surge ahead of crosstown and district rival Westgate in the semifinals of the Westgate Lady Tiger Classic on Saturday.

The Lady Tigers took control in the second half, drawing numerous foul calls and shooting 26 free throws, converting 18 to rally for a 37-35 win over the Lady Jackets. 

Two starters fouled out in the third quarter for NISH, when the foul totals for the half were 10-2 in Westgate’s favor.

“Fouls. Fouls,” said New Iberia coach Robert Pinckney. “Like I told the girls during one of the time outs, last night (in a 41-37 win over Abbeville Friday) we played as well as we could defensively. Tonight we fouled and put them on the line.”

Westgate coach Reggie Davis said the Lady Tigers simply did a better job of executing their gameplan in the second half.

“I think it’s a matter of what we weren’t doing in the first half” rather than what his team did in the second half, Davis said. “We turned the ball over at least 15 times (in the first half). We were getting the ball in the lane in the first half. They were playing man-to-man, not doubling anybody. We just weren’t making shots.”

The teams were tied 7-7 after one quarter thanks to a long 3-pointer by New Iberia’s Moesha Kinard with a half second to go in the period.

But Westgate got only a pair of free throws from Shayne Charles in the second quarter, and NISH used the late surge for a 17-9 lead at intermission. The lead was up to 11 points twice early in the third quarter on 3-pointers by Kinard and Dynesha Gilliam, but NISH scored only 1 point in the final 5:20 and WHS scored 11, all but 2 from the free throw line, to pull even at 24-24 heading into the fourth quarter.

Charles, younger sister Alexis Charles and Lisa Keovongxay each scored 5 points in Westgate’s 15-point third quarter. Keovongxay led the Lady Tigers with 15 points, and Shayne Charles added 14, going 12-for-14 at the free throw line.

WHS continued to score from the foul line in the fourth quarter, getting 7 points from free throws. Keovongxay added three baskets on drives to the goal.

“First of all, when you have two starters foul out, we need our starters on the floor,” said Pinckney. “One of them (Gilliam) is one of our ballhandlers. You’re not going to beat a team like Westgate with two starters out.”

The Lady Tigers went ahead by as many as 6 points in the fourth quarter before NISH staged a rally with a 3-pointer from Kinard and another from Kierra Anthony, the latter pulling New Iberia to within 37-3. Westgate ran out the last 39.8 seconds of the clock.

Kinard had 17 points and Anthony added 10 for NISH.

Results from Saturday’s late games were not available at press time.

New Iberia 43, Abbeville 39

New Iberia jumped ahead 11-6 after one quarter and held on in the fourth quarter to beat Abbeville.

Kierra Anthony had 16 points and Dynesha Gilliam added 15 for the Lady Jackets.

Elaina Baytop scored 17 for the Ladycats.

West St. Mary 41, Franklin 35

WSM outscored its nearby rival 17-8 in the third quarter to take control.

Myla Dapremont scored 11 points and Kiristen Thomas and Gentrell Wells had 9 each for the Lady Wolfpack.

Dalyn Jones led Franklin with 12 points and J’Ashayla Bowers and Fabian Small had 8 each.

Breaux Bridge 48, Jeanerette 24

Breaux Bridge held Jeanerette to 8 points in the second half for the win.

Michelle Brackens had 15 points and Torrie Roy and Jasmine LeBlanc had 12 each for BBHS.

Ambrielle Clark had 14 points to pace Jeanerette.

West St. Mary 47, Comeaux 37

West St. Mary pulled away in the second quarter, then widened its lead in the fourth quarter to beat Comeaux.

WSM outscored the Lady Spartans 16-12 in the second period after a 9-9 first period. The Lady Tigers used a 13-8 fourth-quarter to finish with a 10-point win.

Thomas scored 27 points to lead West St. Mary. Thomas had two 3-pointers and hit seven of 10 free throws. Dapremont and Amber Joe added 6 each.

Lauren Marker led CHS with 8 points and Alisi Darby and Ashley Buras had 6 each.