Palmyra girls need overtime to dispatch Highland, will face South Shelby for district championship

MONROE CITY, Mo. — A 13-point halftime lead evaporated, forcing the second-seeded Palmyra girls basketball team to show some serious resolve in order to keep its season on the rails.

The youthful Panthers played with poise when it mattered.

Highland’s Ansley Bringer hit a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation to force overtime, but Palmyra held the third-seeded Cougars without a field goal in the extra frame to grab a 61-53 victory in the Class 3 District 6 semifinals.

Palmyra (19-7) will face top-seeded South Shelby (21-4) in the district championship at 7 p.m. Friday. The Lady Birds advanced with a 42-16 victory over Monroe City.

Candra King, who opened the overtime with a 3-pointer for a lead the Panthers never relinquished, led Palmyra with 21 points, while Sydney Compton had 12 points and Jansen Juette added 10.

Bringer led Highland with 26 points, while Ali Reed added 14 points.

In the other semifinal, South Shelby didn’t allow a field goal in the first half in building a 21-3 lead. Kaylee Gaines led the Lady Birds with 15 points, while Belle Roush added 10. Lucy Pratt led the Panthers with seven points.