Leaping Marlin STAFF PHOTO BY STEPHANIE KENIGSBERG Kathy Ashley of the Port Aransas High School Lady Marlins jumps high during a game against Kingsville Academy on Nov. 27. Port Aransas High School Lady

Marlins coach Randy Henderson

had more than one reason to celebrate after the Anderson-Shiro basketball tournament Nov. 29-Dec. 1.

Reason one: Henderson's squad went 3-1 in the tournament, losing only in the championship

game to a highly ranked

New Waverly team.

Reason two: The Lady Marlins players

behaved as "truly

great ambassadors for our school and the community of Port Aransas," Henderson said.

"Every coach that we played, and some we didn't, were complimentary of our play and the skills of our players," Henderson said. "I also had two referees approach me after our games and compliment us on the discipline and the sportsmanship of our kids. One even said ours was the first team he had officiated this year where not one player had complained to him.

"I consider these statements to be true reflections of our program, because they were made by professionals who have no personal agendas," Henderson said. "They just liked the way we played and conducted ourselves."

Over and around STAFF PHOTO BY STEPHANIE KENIGSBERG Port Aransas High School Lady Marlin Katelin Dupnik drives past a Kingsville Academy player. The girls even got free ice cream from the manager of the Sonic restaurant in Navasota because the students were so courteous, Henderson said, adding that he wanted to publicly thank his players for their good behavior on and off the court.

As for the games …

The Lady Marlins started the tournament by dismantling East Bernard, 80-30. The Port Aransas girls outscored their opponents 37-2 during one eight-minute stretch.

"Quite a run against a team that went 2-2 in the tournament," Henderson said.

Among the Lady Marlins' top performers were wing Katelin Dupnik, with 24 points, and guard Lia Phillips, who was one point away from a triple double at the end of the game, with nine points, 10 assists and 10 steals. POINTS BY QUARTER

1 2 3 4 F PA 15 23 25 17 80 EB 13 3 8 6 30 INDIVIDUAL SCORING: EMILY SCOTT, 11; KATHY ASHLEY, 12; SARAH PATE, 1; MEREDITH BERRY, 4; PHILLIPS, 9; ELAINE FRANCO, 6; HANNAH JONES, 6; RACHAEL PHILLIPS, 7; KATELIN DUPNIK, 24.

THREE POINTERS: SCOTT, 1; ASHLEY, 4; L. PHILLIPS, 1; H. JONES, 1; R. PHILLIPS, 2.

REBOUNDS: SCOTT, 3; ASHLEY, 4; PATE, 1; FRANCO, 7; JONES, 8; R. PHILLIPS, 4; K. DUPNIK, 3.

STEALS: SCOTT, 8; BERRY, 3; L. PHILLIPS, 10; FRANCO, 7; DUPNIK, 1.

ASSISTS: SCOTT, 6; ASHLEY, 1; PATE, 1; BERRY, 2; PHILLIPS, 10; FRANCO, 6; R. PHILLIPS, 2; DUPNIK, 2.

In the Lady Marlins' second game of the tournament, the Port Aransas girls whipped Somerville 59-26.

The Lady Marlins combined to sink an impressive 13 of 24 three-point attempts.

Other highlights: Pate scored a career-high 16 points. Lia Phillips also scored 16. POINTS BY QUARTER

1 2 3 4 F PA 28 31 21 12 92 SOM 8 18 10 5 41 INDIVIDUAL SCORING: SAVANNA NIXON, 3; EMILY SCOTT, 12; KATHY ASHLEY, 8; SARAH PATE, 16; MEREDITH BERRY, 2; LIA PHILLIPS, 16; ELAINE FRANCO, 6; HANNA JONES, 6; RACHAEL PHILLIPS, 6; KATELIN DUPNIK, 17.

THREE-POINTERS: SCOTT, 2; ASHLEY, 2; PATE, 3; PHILLIPS, 2; FRANCO, 1; JONES, 1; R. PHILLIPS, 2.

REBOUNDS: NIXON, 4; SCOTT, 2; ASHLEY, 1; PATE, 6; BERRY, 8; L. PHILLIPS, 3; FRANCO, 8; JONES, 5; R. PHILLIPS, 3; DUPNIK, 4.

STEALS: NIXON, 1; SCOTT, 3; ASHLEY, 1; PATE, 1; L. PHILLIPS, 1; FRANCO, 5; JONES, 3; R. PHILLIPS, 1; DUPNIK, 1.

ASSISTS: NIXON, 2; ASHLEY, 2; PATE, 2; BERRY, 4; L. PHILLIPS, 9; FRANCO, 4; R. PHILLIPS, 3; DUPNIK, 2.

Only 90-minutes after the Somerville game, the Lady Marlins had to play a game against Anderson-Shiro, which had not played yet that day.

"Anderson was fresher and had a good game plan to nullify our strengths," Henderson said. "Fortunately, our kids battled and scrapped to an 11-point win, 52-41."

Henderson said he was pleased with the way his players handled the first adverse game situation they had experienced since the Marlin Classic, Nov. 15-17. SCORING BY QUARTER

1 2 3 4 F PA 14 10 15 13 52 AS 9 9 16 7 41 INDIVIDUAL SCORING: ASHLEY, 14; PATE, 3; BERRY, 2; L. PHILLIPS, 11; FRANCO, 3; JONES, 1;R. PHILLIPS, 6; DUPNIK, 12.

THREE POINTERS: ASHLEY, 4; PATE, 1; L. PHILLIPS, 2; R. PHILLIPS, 2.

REBOUNDS: SCOTT, 3; ASHLEY, 5; PATE, 2; BERRY, 1; L. PHILLIPS, 8; FRANCO, 4; JONES, 4; DUPNIK, 5.

STEALS: BERRY, 3; L. PHILLIPS, 6; E. FRANCO, 2; H. JONES, 1; R. PHILLIPS, 2; DUPNIK, 7.

ASSISTS: SCOTT, 1; BERRY, 2; L. PHILLIPS, 3; FRANCO, 3; JONES, 2; DUPNIK, 2.

In the tourney's championship game, the Lady Marlins found out first-hand why New Waverly was ranked ninth in the state among Class 2A teams.

Despite playing well, the Lady Marlins - ranked No. 15 in the state among Class 1A teams - were up by only two points at the half. Then, in the second half, New Waverly "outplayed us in every facet of the game," Henderson said.

"I am proud of our players for not giving up when we were down by 10 points with five minutes left in the game," Henderson said. "We battled our way back to cut the lead to four before New Waverly pulled away."

POINTS BY QUARTER

1 2 3 4 F PA 19 16 5 12 52 NW 12 21 14 19 66 INDIVIDUAL SCORING: ASHLEY, 19; BERRY, 4; L. PHILLIPS, 6; JONES, 8; R. PHILLIPS, 3; DUPNIK, 12.

THREE POINTERS: ASHLEY, 3; L. PHILLIPS, 2; JONES, 2; R. PHILLIPS, 1.

REBOUNDS: NIXON, 1; SCOTT, 4; ASHLEY, 1; PATE, 1; BERRY, 3; L. PHILLIPS, 3; FRANCO, 4; JONES, 2; R. PHILLIPS, 1; DUPNIK, 4. STEALS: NIXON, 1; SCOTT, 1; BERRY, 1; L. PHILLIPS, 7; FRANCO, 1; JONES, 1; DUPNIK, 1.

ASSISTS: SCOTT, 1; ASHLEY, 2; L. PHILLIPS, 7; FRANCO, 2; DUPNIK, 1.

Henderson said he was "very pleased and excited" about the Lady Marlins' performance in the tournament, overall.

"If we are able to keep working and improving," Henderson said, "I think we will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time."