Lady Panthers battle back in Chickamauga

After losing their opening game at the Gordon Lee Chickfil-A Christmas Tournament last Monday, the Ridgeland Lady Panthers stormed back with two wins over the next two days to take third place.

KING’S RIDGE CHRISTIAN 53, RIDGELAND 40

Jamiah Lewis led the Lady Panthers with 12 points in the tournament opener. Haylee Collins had nine points on three 3-pointers and Emma Fowler finished with seven points. Madison Lennon and Autumn Pasley scored four each, while Ava Mariakis and Chloe Tredy each finished with two.

RIDGELAND 50, DADE COUNTY 38

Knotted up at 33 apiece going into the fourth quarter, the Lady Panthers got three big 3-pointers late and pulled away for a win last Tuesday morning.

Ridgeland had rallied from a three-point, first-quarter deficit to take a one-point lead at halftime. Fowler, Collins and Mariakis each knocked down a three in the final period, while Fowler scored all seven of her points in the final eight minutes.

Mariakis and Collins each connected on four 3-pointers in the game. Mariakis finished with a team-high 14 points, while Collins and Lewis each had 12. Three from Lacie Moyer and two from Alexis Wheeler rounded out the scoring for Ridgeland.

RIDGELAND 56, KING’S RIDGE CHRISTIAN 50

A schedule change had the Lady Panthers earning a rematch this past Wednesday and the Black-and-White avenged their Monday loss with a victory against the Lady Tigers from Alpharetta.

Ridgeland led 14-4 after the first quarter, but extended its lead even more in the third as they outscored King’s Ridge, 16-7, to take a 20-point lead into the fourth.

The Lady Tigers hit six threes in the final period, including four by Bella Martin, but it was not enough to complete the comeback as Ridgeland improved to 6-8 on the season.

Lewis had 28 points for the Lady Panthers. Collins scored six on a pair of 3-pointers, while Mariakis and Wheeler each scored four. Three points apiece by Lennon, Fowler, Moyer and Shayla Rosson, along with two by Tredy, rounded out the total.

Ridgeland finished with seven 3-pointers as a team and went 7 of 9 at the free throw line.

The Lady Panthers will host state-ranked LFO in a Region 6-3A game on Jan. 6.