JESSIEVILLE -- Jessieville's Lady Lions are going into the Christmas season with a 51-26 conference win against rival Bismarck.
Jessieville will start its Larry Ray Memorial tournament Wednesday.
"It was a good conference win," Jessieville head coach Magen Scrivner said. "We got off to a really good start. We were able to get some turnovers for some layups and so the girls got us going early."
The fourth annual Larry Ray Memorial girls bracket features Jessieville, Central Arkansas Christian, Mount Ida, Caddo Hills, Perryville, Cutter Morning Star, Bismarck and Danville.
"It will be some good competition," Scrivner said. "It will be good for us in the break to play those games to get ready to start back into conference play."
Action tips off 11 a.m. Wednesday for the girls bracket and every team is guaranteed at least two games.
Jessieville (5-1) has leaned on the talents of freshman Payton Futch.
"She is my point guard," Scrivner said. "She has done a great job. Her basketball IQ is super high and she sees the floor well. Futch has been a tremendous impact on the offensive and defensive end of the floor."
Jessieville averages 45 points per game while only giving up an average of 33 points.
"Our guard Futch had a really good game against Bismarck and as a whole too we really played well together that game," Scrivner said. "I am pleased with the way the girls have been playing, I think we keep getting better each game. We are young but also experienced. My young kids play a lot of summer basketball. We are excited to get into conference play."
The Lady Lions will play Mount Ida first Wednesday in the 6:30 p.m. game.
Mount Ida (4-6) is on a two-game winning streak and has confidence going into the Larry Ray Memorial.
"Mount Ida will be a good first-round matchup," Scrivner said. "If we get the opportunity to move on we will play the winner of CAC and Caddo Hills. That will be a good matchup for us if we can get past Mount Ida. The finals we will see who gets there. It will be good competition for us overall, just to be able to play during the break."
Jessieville beat Cutter Morning Star and Danville earlier in the season.
Freshman shooting guard Karstyn Scrivner is one of two of Scrivner's daughters that start.
"Karstyn Scrivner has been a huge impact too," Magen Scrivner said. "Futch and Karstyn Scrivner both of their IQs are super high for their age. I have never started a freshman in 12 years of coaching and now I am starting two of them. I am not just saying this because they are my players. I feel like they are two of the top freshmen in the 3A classification. They are a great freshmen duo."
Futch and Karstyn Scrivner have hopes of playing at the collegiate level of basketball.
Bismarck (4-5) will be looking for redemption for the last time they entered Jessieville's gym.
Sophomore Kennedi Scrivner is the Lady Lions' small forward.
"Kennedi Scrivner is a tough kid," Magen Scrivner said. "She is our rebounder and energy kid. Kennedi Scrivner is that kid that goes and gets the rebounds and buckets when we need them. She will get an offensive rebound and get a put back. Her defense on the back of that press she reads it so well. She just helps us get going defensively too."
Jessieville and Perryville (9-4) have the best records in the tournament.
"I just think that with each game we get better experience for different types of situations," the Lady Lion head coach said. "Every game has been a different type of situation so far and we are learning from that and it helps us for the next game."
Senior power forward Olivia White and senior Liz Cosby round out the Lady Lions' starting five.
"White is a kid that has gotten so much better," Magen Scrivner said. "From her sophomore year to her senior year. She absolutely lived in the gym this summer. She was there every single day. Cosby was a sixth-man last year and she has gotten so much more confidence. The kids that she is playing with now, I think has really helped her get that confidence this year. She knows her role and does her role well."
Cutter Morning Star (0-12) comes into the tournament with a very young squad and has struggled down the stretch closing out games.
Jessieville will face some familiar local talent in the Larry Ray Memorial this year and a tournament victory is on all of the Lady Lions' Christmas lists.