The Ray Lady Texans raced out to a 16-2 start in their road game against the home-standing A.C. Jones Lady Trojans on Tuesday night and went on to capture a 53-33 win.

The first quarter ended with the state-ranked Lady Texans owning a 19-4 advantage. The points came easy and often as the Lady Texans’ pressure defense was too much for the young Lady Trojans to handle. Beeville turnovers created easy baskets for the visitors and the game was never in question after that opening period.

The Ray girls led 33-12 at the half and then eased off the pressure in the second half.

The Lady Trojans hit for 11 points in the third period and came back in the fourth with 10 more. Ray recorded 14 third quarter tallies to go into the final stanza up by 24 at 47-23.

The Beeville girls cut into the Ray lead in the final period but could not overcome the big lead built by the visitors in the first half. The Lady Trojans limited Ray to six fourth quarter points.

Chelsea Contreras led the Beeville scoring with 11 points. Alisa Patterson hit for six while Anyssa Barbosa and Theresa Amador each had four. Natalie Dominguez contributed two points. Randi Maupin and Ashley Galle each sank one free throw to complete the scoring.

The loss hurts the Lady Trojan postseason hopes but does not eliminate the possibility.

“We must win four out of the five remaining district games in order to secure a postseason slot – that task is realistically attainable if the girls play smart, aggressive basketball,” said head coach Chuck Youngblood.

The Lady Trojans will be at Gregory-Portland on Friday night to tangle with the Lady Wildcats.

On Tuesday evening, the local ladies will have an open date before next Friday’s home encounter with Miller.