It was looking like the Lady Blues would receive a game Saturday night after Tiffany Williams, Cameron guard, put up a layup to take a one-point lead with 18:21 remaining in the game. But after the Lady Blues went on a 24-2 run midway through the second half, the game looked like one of those regular season tune-ups as the Lady Blues rolled past Cameron 93-65 in the Emporia State Classic.

“We weren’t playing our game in the first half,” said Nikki Holmes, senior guard. “We were getting out rebounded. At halftime we said ‘Hey, we have to get this game together.’ That is exactly what we did – started to out rebound them on both the defensive and offensive end.”

Holmes hit two 3-pointers in that 24-2 run and was one of six players to contribute to it. But the run was the first to not be answered by Cameron the entire game.

The Lady Blues came out of the gates strong, taking a 6-0 lead. But Cameron seemed to be the pest that would not go away. The Lady Blues led by as much as 12 in the first half, but with a 3-pointer from Megan Atkins, Cameron guard, the Lady Blues went into the locker room with a five point lead, 43-38.

“They had a couple big kids in the post that were wearing us out a bit,” said Ron McHenry, head coach. “They played well in the post and we have seen that before, we just have to learn how to guard that. I think some of our post players come in offensive minded, but they need to be defensive minded.”

The Lady Blues wound up winning the battle of the boards by the end of the game, but in the first half Cameron had a 19-25 advantage. Amanda Holmes, Lady Blues junior forward, took over the game in the blocks recording a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

“We just need to play our game,” said Amanda Holmes. “At halftime we had individuals who said ‘Hey, this is not how we play, we need to box out and rebound and let’s play.'”

The Lady Blues will get a chance to improve their post play against none other than Cameron in the first round of the WIBW Radio Holiday Classic. McHenry says they will watch film and see where play went wrong in the post.

“It really comes down to we could double down on them, but I really don’t like to do that a lot because it weakens our perimeter play,” said McHenry. “We could probably get up a little higher on them and make them throw over the top. We will watch film and see where they beat us. Most kind of posts beat you before they catch it, and I think that’s what they did tonight.”

After the Lady Blues rematch with Cameron on Friday, they’ll take on Lynn Saturday. The Lynn Bulldogs are 1-0 so far this season. The Lady Blues are just happy they’re 2-0.

“It feels real good,” said Amanda Holmes. “We had our ups and downs in the exhibition games. But the more practice we have, the more we are with each other, the more team bonding we have, the more we will carry it out on the floor. I’m pretty confident so far.”