[Stardust]

Dunbar 56, Woodford Co. 46: Balanced scoring and gritty defense told the story for the Lady Bulldogs (27-6).

Brooke Todd scored 12 points. Lakeena Parks, Kierra Muhammad, Lexus Edwards and Shakeema Jackson each totaled 10.

The key, Coach Sarah Van Horn said, was defense.

"It always comes down to our defense, and we always tell our girls defense wins championships," Van Horn said.

Parks finished with a double-double, grabbing 11 of her team's 40 rebounds.

"It feels great to make it to the championship game," Parks said. "I try my best to do whatever the team asks me to do."

Todd also blocked seven shots. Jordin Fender had four points, five assists and, like Jackson, three steals.

Catie Fletcher led Woodford (22-12) with 15 points. Chelsey Ford and Jessica Morgan had identical totals of seven points and 12 rebounds. Ford also had three steals and Morgan blocked five shots.

"We were very happy with our season," Coach Jay Lucas said. "District champs for the first time since 2007. Great job by our girls getting 22 wins on our tough schedule."

The Yellowjackets scored the first four points of the second half to take a 26-23 lead, and were tied at 31 before Dunbar made its move.

The Bulldogs scored the next eight points for a 39-31 lead. Parks scored with a baseline jumper, Muhammad hit back-to-back baskets and Parks went inside to tally.

Woodford cut the gap to 42-38 early in the fourth.

Jackson, who scored all of her points in the fourth quarter, hit a three-pointer and an old-style three-point play, and Parks followed with a jumper.

Suddenly the lead was 50-38. Woodford never came closer than 10 after that.

"We had the tempo the way we liked it," Lucas said. "We were playing them zone all night, just tried to slow them down. ... And then Dunbar has that quickness that they make runs. Made that run at the end of the third quarter and pulled away from there."

Edwards and Jackson split Dunbar's 20 bench points.

"It's going to take all 11 of them to do it, and they know it," Van Horn said. "So we're going to have to challenge the bench to do good things, too."

Dunbar shot 51.7 percent (15-for-29) in the second half and 38.3 percent (23-for-60) overall. Woodford finished 16-for-54 (29.6 percen

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/03/20943...rylink=cpy