The Buckhorn Lady Wildcats traveled to the reservation on Tuesday to take on the East Ridge Lady Warriors in what turned into a tightly contested matchup from start to finish.
The opening quarter set the tone for the night, as both teams traded baskets in a back-and-forth battle that ended knotted at 15–15. East Ridge was led early by Kourtlee Keene and Olivia Stanley, who scored six points apiece in the first quarter.
The pace remained competitive in the second period, but the Lady Warriors managed to gain a slight edge before halftime. Behind the sharp shooting of Stanley, East Ridge carried a 28–24 lead into the break. Stanley connected on three three-point baskets in the first half, finishing with 13 points at halftime.
Both teams continued to battle in the third quarter, exchanging baskets throughout the period. East Ridge slowly stretched its advantage, outscoring Buckhorn once again to take a 44–36 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Wildcats mounted a late push and cut into the deficit, keeping the game within reach until the final moments. However, clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch allowed East Ridge to hold on for a hard-fought 54–52 victory.
Surplus Products Player of the Game honors went to Kourtlee Keene, as the sophomore delivered a standout performance with 25 points to lead the Lady Warriors to the win.
Quarter-by-Quarter Scoring
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| Buckhorn Lady Wildcats | 15 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 52 |
| East Ridge Lady Warriors | 15 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 54 |
Individual Scoring
Buckhorn – 52
- Haylee Blank — 20
- Lyla Wooten — 12
- Greenlee Denton — 9
- Ashlynn Adams — 6
- Laurel Youmans — 5
- Molly Mullins — 2
East Ridge – 54
- Kourtlee Keene -25
- Olivia Stanley -21
- Alena Dotson – 8
The win improved the Lady Warriors record to 4-9 on the season. Next up for East Ridge, they will play host to the Pike Central Lady Hawks in another 15th region matchup.
photo submitted
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