Italy — In the first round of the Italy Invitational Basketball Tournament, which featured 18 teams from around the area ranging from 1A to 3A, the Lady Gladiators took on Faith Family and dominated the matchup from the opening tipoff to the games final ticks. With a 12:30 p.m. start time, Italy was well in front of Faith Family by 12:45 p.m. by playing unselfish fast break basketball on offense and by creating turnovers on defense.

Guard Tara Wallis put Italy on the board first, 2-0, by finishing the fast break with a layup. Moments later, as both sides tested one another, point guard Kendra Copeland strokes a jumper from mid lane to put Italy up 4-0 with 4:18 to play in the first-period.

Wallis gets the steal and pushes the ball to the opposite side of the floor where Alyssa Richards draws a shooting foul. Richards swishes both and Italy leads 6-0. Next trip down, Wallis dribbles into the lane and puts up a mini jumper that drops in to build Italy’s lead by 8-0 with 2:48 on the clock.

The Lady Gladiators force a turnover and Wallis repeats her previous scoring effort to increase Italy’s advantage by 10-0. Ryisha Copleand steals the ball from Faith Family and dishes to Kendra Copeland who is fouled on the shot. Kendra Copeland puts in 1-of-2 from the foul line to give Italy an 11-0 distance.

Faith Family shoots a pair of foul shots but neither drop. Later in the period, with Faith Family trying to inbound the ball, Kortnei Johnson steals the pass and scores quickly to give Italy a 13-0 lead with 1:40 showing. Post player Taleyia Wilson pulls down an offensive rebound and puts it back in to make the score 15-0. Italy then transitions quickly from defense to offense as Johnson passes to Figueroa and then Figueroa passes back to Johnson for another layup to make the game 17-0. Another Johnson steal and put back gives Italy a 19-0 cushion.

Faith Family gets another crack from the foul line but misses both freebies with :9 seconds remaining. Johnson, in a race against the clock, dribbles thru traffic the length of the court and draws contact on the attempted buzzer beater near the rim. No foul is called and the first-period ends with Italy posing a 19-0 shutout.

Early in the second-period, Italy’s Bernice Hailey steals and gets up a shot the careens off the back of the rim. Johnson airs for the rebound, scores on the put back and Italy leads 21-0. Johnson then finds Hailey via a bounce pass into the lane and Hailey scores the bucket to put Italy up 23-0. Johnson, now in control of the game, completes a fast break opportunity at the basket to put the Lady Gladiators further in front, 25-0 with 5:53 to play in the first half.

Johnson steals the ball away again and, again, lays in a basket to give Italy a 27-0 window. Faith Family throws a rock at the window by lobbing a pass, off the inbound, downcourt for their first points of the contest, 27-2. Wilson, battling under the boards, draws a foul. Alexis Minton checks in and immediately introduces herself to the Faith Family squad. Minton scores back-to-back with a jump shot from beyond the right block and then by banking in another short jumper to increase the Lady Gladiator lead 31-2.

Figueroa receive s a pass swishes a turnaround jumper from the foul line to make the score 33-2. Italy is on fire as their first shot attempts are dropping in and Johnson scores again off a steal to push Italy’s lead to 35-2 with 3:00 before intermission.

Ryisha Copeland makes a skillful baseline move to beat her defender and score underneath as Italy goes up 37-2. Faith Family scores their second bucket of the game then Ryisha Copeland hits 1-of-2 from the foul line to make the score 38-4. Faith Family scores with :16 seconds left and then has a chance at the buzzer but the shot falls short and the Lady Gladiators trot off the court with a 38-6 lead at the break.

Up 40-6 in the third-period, Richards lobs in a pass to Johnson who swings the ball to Figueroa for a score, 42-6 Italy leads. Wallis gets the ball to Johnson beating Faith Family’s press defense, 44-6. Johnson secures a loose ball and passes to Figueroa who banks in a layup to make the score 46-6, 5:40 to play in the third. Faith Family answers with a finger roll, 46-8.

After a Faith Family timeout, Wallis hits Johnson cutting into the lane for another Italy basket, 48-8 with 4:28 showing. Faith Family draws consecutive charges against Italy’s attacking fast breaking style but the Lady Gladiators continue to power their way to the rim. Richards returns to the foul line and puts in both to make the score 50-8. Faith Family misses a pair of free shots then Wallis passes into Figueroa to make the score 52-8. Faith Family dribbles the length of the floor for an open layup to make the score 52-10 as the third-period comes to a close.

At the 4:55 mark of the fourth-period, Ryisha Copleand pulls up in the lane and drops in a bucket to give Italy a 54-12 advantage. Less than a minute later, Johnson goes 1-of-2 from the stripe, 55-12. Getting out on a fast break, Richards passes to Johnson who flies in for the finish, conjuring up memories of Magic Johnson to James Worthy from the Los Angeles Lakers during the late 80s. Italy leads 57-12.

Ryisha Copeland knocks down two free-throws, 59-12. Ryisha Copeland then passes to Johnson who finishes the fast break with under 1:00 to play. Italy is up 61-12. Faith Family misses two more foul shots while Johnson scores after an offensive rebound to give Italy a 63-12 lead. Faith Family does manage to score the final basket of the contest but the Lady Gladiators get the win 63-14 and secure a spot in the second-round of the tournament.

The Lady Gladiators will take on Dallas Life tonight, Friday, November 30, starting at 5:00 p.m. inside Italy Coliseum. For Italy fans not traveling to the Gladiator football game in Wills Point this evening, the Coliseum is the place to be for cheering on the Lady Gladiators!

Special thanks to Texas Best Smokehouse, Shell and Sonic of Italy, Larry Eubank and Chef Larry Mayberry, Sr., Doris Mitchell with the Uptown Cafe of Italy and Brenda Davis, Rita Garza, Leo Garza and Greg Richards.

Go Lady Gladiators!