Lady Birds Defeat Higbee to Close Out Regular Season

By Mark Requet

The South Shelby Lady Birds traveled to Higbee for the final game of the regular season on Friday, February 20, 2026, and won 68-60.

The offense for the Lady Birds was clicking early, hitting six first quarter threes to help propel South Shelby score 21. Hannah Gaines hit three threes and Gracynn Lanpher added two threes.

Higbee was just as hot in the first as South Shelby held a slim 21-20 lead after one quarter.

The Lady Birds opened up an eight-point lead in the second quarter, but Higbee rallied to grab a 35-34 halftime lead.

Reese Maupin kept the Lady Birds in the game in the third quarter, scoring eight of the team’s 13 points.

The score was tied 47-47 after three quarters.

Higbee took an early lead in the fourth quarter, but back-to-back threes by Ainsleigh Truitt and a three by Gaines gave the Lady Birds a 56-53 lead with 6:09 left in the game.

After a Higbee basket, Truitt hit another three to make it 59-55 with 4:36 left in the game.

The Lady Birds iced the game at the free throw line, hitting six free throws with less than a minute to go to seal the 68-60 win.

Gaines led the Lady Birds with 25 points, including seven threes, followed by Maupin with 18 points. Truitt scored 12 points and Lanpher added 11 points.

The Lady Birds finish the regular season at 15-8 overall. They traveled to Van-Far on Monday, February 23, to play Silex in the first round of the Class 2, District 5 Tournament. Results will be in the next issue. If the Lady Birds win, they would play top seeded Clopton in the second round on Wednesday, February 25, beginning at 6 p.m. The championship game is Friday at 6 p.m.