Deeee-fense! Hannah Jones (No. 23), post with the Port Aransas High School Lady Marlins, shows a tough defense at Woodsboro High School on Friday, Jan. 26. Both Lady Marlin teams improved their season records with wins over Pettus on the road Monday, Jan. 29.

The blue team (eighth grade) chalked up a 26-12 win, while the white team (seventh and eighth grade combined) pulled out a 23-20 victory.

Unlike last week's game against Woodsboro, the blue team had better luck hitting the basket in this contest.

"We scored well in every quarter," said Coach Javier Mendoza.

"We played hard - it was a great effort by all," he added. SCORING BY QUARTERS BMS 8 6 4 8 26 PETTUS 4 2 0 6 12 POINTS: KELSEY ABEL, 6; KALANI BALCOM, 4; SAVANNA NIXON, 8; CHELSEA PEREZ, 2; TARRYN MURRAY, 4; KATIE SAMUDIO, 2

ASSISTS: BALCOM, 1; PEREZ, 1; SAMUDIO, 1

REBOUNDS: ABEL, 8; BALCOM, 2; NIXON, 10; MARINA MILLIGAN, 2; PEREZ, 7; MURRAY, 4; SHELBI FOLEY, 1; SAMUDIO, 5

STEALS: ABEL, 2; BALCOM, 2; NIXON, 1; MILLIGAN, 2; PEREZ, 1; MURRAY, 5; SAMUDIO, 2

A second half push made the difference for the white team that trailed until the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the young Lady Marlins held Pettus scoreless and took the lead to pull out the win.

"The girls kept hustling to get themselves in position to pull out the game," Mendoza said. SCORING BY QUARTERS BMS 4 8 5 6 23 PETTUS 10 6 4 0 20 POINTS: NYCOLE CHAMBERS, 4; ERIKA WITTEN, 11; SAMANTHA RICHARDSON, 8

ASSISTS: TAYLOR GRIFFIN, 1; CHAMBERS, 1; ERIN REED, 3

REBOUNDS: MEGAN HARDEGREE, 1; GRIFFIN, 1; CHAMBERS, 3; WITTEN, 15; RICHARDSON, 7

STEALS: CHAMBERS, 1; WITTEN, 3; RICHARDSON, 1; JESSICA ETHRIDGE, 1; REED, 6