The Lady Cavaliers had been getting out-hustled on the basketball floor through their first two games in the silver division of the 2014 Boo Williams Christmas Classic this past weekend, but they turned things around on Tuesday.

The Lakeland High School girls’ basketball team finished its participation in the event with a 49-35 win against Indian River High School at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton.

Lady Cavs coach Brandey Blunt had been disappointed with her team’s effort in losses on Saturday and Monday to Denbigh High School and Saint Gertrude High School, respectively.

“We played a lot better today, played with a lot more effort, a lot more intensity,” she said Tuesday. “I started the game with my reserves.”

Getting the fresh opportunity to play at tip-off were junior Shakiaya Bailey, sophomore Deja Freeman, junior Brianna Lynch and senior Abrea Perry. Blunt maintained one usual starter, freshman Kayla Barnes, who played hard throughout the Classic for the Lady Cavs.

Blunt said this new starting five “went in there, and they set the tone for the game and did an excellent job, and we jumped out on them early,” taking an 8-0 lead to start the game.

The coach said she thought the deciding factor in the game was “just the hustle, the overall effort that was put forth.”

As the game progressed, she inserted the usual starters and said, “They got the point, and they just went from there.”

Blunt was particularly pleased with Freeman, whom she moved up from the junior varsity squad recently. The coach said she “played really well for us this weekend,” which helped convince her to start her on Tuesday.

Barnes led the way for Lakeland with 20 points, adding three steals and two rebounds.

“Kayla was very consistent the whole weekend,” Blunt said.

Junior D’Jannay Patterson contributed 12 points, three boards and two steals, Lynch scored eight points and Freeman added six rebounds and two points.

The story of the two prior games was simple to Blunt.

“We just haven’t played to the best of our ability,” she said before Tuesday’s contest.

Saint Gertrude blew out the Lady Cavs by at least 20 points on Monday, Blunt said, and Lakeland fell 49-41 against Denbigh on Saturday.

Against the Lady Patriots, Barnes led Lakeland with 15 points, adding four boards and four steals, while senior Tia Bradley added 10 points, eight boards and three steals.

Blunt said Bradley, the team’s starting power forward, “has a lot of potential,” later adding, “she played very well — just trying to get her to do that every night.”

Lakeland (4-7, 0-2) hosts Deep Creek High School on Tuesday.