The Lake Belton High School Girls Basketball team competed in the MT Rice Tournament on December 29–30 at Midway High School, putting together a strong weekend highlighted by resilience, balanced scoring, and a third-place finish.

Day 1 – December 29

Lake Belton opened the tournament against Judson High School and dropped a hard-fought contest, 74–64. The Lady Broncos faced early adversity, trailing by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, but responded with a determined comeback that cut the deficit to just four late in the game before falling to a talented Judson squad.
Aniya Taylor led the way with 21 points, while Alexa King added 15 points. Olivia Dann finished with 11 points, and Layla King contributed 7.

Game two of the day saw Lake Belton bounce back with a 42–37 win over Lovejoy High School. Layla King led all scorers with 9 points, and Gemma Pierce added 8. Alexa King, Erica Taylor, and Olivia Dann each chipped in 6 points to secure the victory. Day 1 concluded with the Lady Broncos holding a 1–1 record.

Day 2 – December 30

Lake Belton opened Day 2 with a convincing 58–42 win over Tomball High School. Olivia Dann had a standout performance, scoring 23 points to lead the Lady Broncos. Alexa King added 9 points, and Erica Taylor contributed 7. The win placed Lake Belton second in their pool and advanced them to the third-place game.

In the third-place matchup, the Lady Broncos defeated host Midway High School, 42–36. Erica Taylor and Alexa King each scored 16 points, while Gemma Pierce added 6 in a balanced team effort.

Overall, it was a strong weekend for the Lady Broncos, who showed grit, determination, and the ability to respond to challenges. Lake Belton now stands at 22–1 on the season.

The Lady Broncos will play one final tune-up game against Salado High School on Friday, January 2, at noon at Salado High School before opening district play on January 9.