The Lady Cougar basketball team brushed off the rust and got a little payback as they opened 2018 with an 84-72 vicoty over the Lady Cardinals of Gadsden State on Saturday afternoon.  Cleveland had been almost a month to the date without any game action as their last contest wasd December 8th against these same Lady Cardinals which resulted in a 86-74 defeat.  

Relying on only six healthy players for the game, the Lady Cougars took the fight to their visitors for the entire contest.  Cleveland would start slow int he contest as Gadsden scored the first seven points of the game.  The Lady Cougars would catch fire and take the lead an eventually lead 24-18 at the end of the first quarter.  They would expand on the lead through the next two quarters.  Gadsden would make a run early in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Cougars regained the momentum and pulled away for the victory.  

Julia Gaither was the leader as she tallied a career best 35 points on 10 of 15 shooting for the field and 13 of 16 from the free throw line.  She also tallied 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and four steals int he game.  Abby Hubert was next up for Cleveland as pumped in 21 points with eight rebounds with 2 assists, and 2 steals.  Keya Jenkins made her season debut, and had an afternoon as he tallied 15 points, with a team high 14 rebounds, team high 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocked shots.