DAPHNE, Alabama — Daphne’s up-tempo offense and pressure-packed defense made it a tough road trip for the Lady Lions, who dropped the Friday 6A Area 3 contest 54-43. The Lady Trojans built double digit leads and played everyone significant minutes, but Foley never threw in the towel and forced DHS to rotate its starters back into the mix more than once.

Daphne’s Amber Yelding had 16 points and 10 steals, which helped keep a cushion on the scoreboard. Foley’s leading scorer Brittney Davis compiled her first career double-double with a game high 26 points and 10 rebounds. She also went 13-16 at the free throw to keep the Lions in the Hunt.

Lady Trojan head coach Terreance Pinkney said getting an area win and lots of playing time for his bench was good for the whole team.

“We have been off for about a week so we had not played at all for a while and I was a little concerned for our first game back to be an area game,” he said. “But it turned out well in the end. We started the first quarter up tempo, then let up, got sluggish and then let them back in the second (quarter). But then we responded in the third and came out and got the area win. And that’s real big to get one up early on the other teams in the area. It’s something that will help us later on in the season.”

Pinkney added that he was very pleased with the effort.

“The girls just got out and hustled, I think they were glad to get back on the court after having been off. We also put a lot of pressure on the girls from Foley and I think that was a key to our being successful.”

Foley assistant coach Chad Anderson said the Lady Lions were improving and were turning a corner in the program’s progress.

“We ran a lot of different things tonight, presses that in the past we were not able to because we didn’t have the speed,” he said. “But this year, we feel like we have the players who understand what we’re trying to accomplish out there and who know to be in the right place at the right time. But tonight we gave up way too many offensive rebounds and we had 32 turnovers.”

Anderson said Davis’ play on the inside was a key to the recent turnaround.

“Brittney Davis had 26 (points) with 10 rebounds. Her first double-double, but I feel like she still has a ways to go on the defensive end. But this has been the best two weeks of basketball we have had since I have been here. This group really wants to get better. And we feel like we will be better in January.”

Sierra Patterson added 10 points for the Lady Trojans, Brittany McConico had seven and Cherese Hunter six.

The Lady Lions also got six points from Xavess Rigsby.

Daphne (5-2, 1-0) will travel to Murphy Thursday with a 6:30 p.m. start.

Foley (2-7, 0-1) will travel to Theodore Thursday for a 5 p.m. tipoff.