In the third round of bracket play at the Eustace Basketball Tournament Saturday, the Bullard Lady Panther varsity basketball team was matched up against the Brownsboro Lady Bears. With the two teams battling for control of the contest, Brownsboro was able to take an early lead with their nine points in the first quarter of play, compared to the seven points collected by Bullard. Not to be outdone, the Lady Panthers were able to find success in the second quarter, as Bullard’s offensive efforts narrowly edged Brownsboro, 8-7. At the halftime break, the Lady Bears were ahead of the Lady Panthers by a slim score, 16-15. After returning to basketball action in the second half, the Lady Bears came out of the locker room on an offensive rampage in the third quarter of play, netting a total of 19 points, while Bullard collected a total of 10 points of offense. In the fourth quarter, Bullard attempted to make their way back into contention, mounting a comeback attempt that threatened Brownsboro’s lead. The Lady Panthers outscored the Lady Bears in the final frame, 13-4, but fell just one shot shy of the victory, as Brownsboro was able to escape with a narrow victory over Bullard, 39-38. With a record of 3-2 at the Eustace Basketball Tournament, the Bullard Lady Panther varsity basketball team finished in fourth place. A trio of Lady Panther players led their team in scoring in the contest against the Lady Bears at the Eustace Basketball Tournament, including Day, Berry, and Minton, all three scoring nine points. Other significant contributors for Bullard against Brownsboro included Smith, with five points; Kirgan, with four points; and Baker, with two points. With a 4-2 record last week, the Bullard Lady Panther varsity basketball team currently holds a 12-3 record on the 2017-2018 season. The team is currently ranked 18th in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches latest poll, dated Monday, Dec. 5. Next week: Tuesday, Dec. 5 – Bullard at Alba-Golden; Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 7-9 – Bullard at Great East Texas Shootout in Brownsboro.