Lady Indians hold off Horatio to get the win 40-37
In a close battle back and forth Friday, the Poyen Lady Indians escaped 2A-7 conference opponents the Horatio Lady Lions at home at the Jerry and Ouida Newton Arena.
The Lady Indians took control in the first half to take the lead, but the Lady Lions came back in the second half to give the Lady Indians a run for their money. With less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Lady Indians and Lady Lions were both locked at 37 points. It was Poyen’s Gracen Murphy who was able to score with 44 seconds left in the game to give the Lady Indians a two-point lead. The Lady Lions then missed a shot on their end of the court where Murphy snatched the crucial rebound to give possession to the Lady Indians. Murphy then sealed the win for the Lady Indians with a free throw to go up 40-37 over the Lady Lions.
Murphy was the leading scorer for the Lady Indians in Friday’s game with 10 points.
After her was Madyson Edwards and Payton Anderson each with seven points and Ellie Sutterfield and Harper Edwards each with six points. Poyen’s Kodee Batchelor rounded out the Lady Indians scoring corps with four points.
The Lady Indians got on
a roll early with M. Edwards, Murphy, and Batchelor all scoring to go on a six-point run. Horatio’s Maddie Rivas put the Lady Lions on the board with two free throws, but Anderson answered with a basket to put the Lady Indians up 9-2 with 3:54 left in the first quarter. The Lady
Lions started to make a comeback then with back-to-back baskets to trail 9-6 with just two minutes remaining. Murphy scored the last basket of the quarter to put the Lady Indians up by five, 11-6, in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, the Lady Indians went on an eight-point run to take a 13-point lead over the Lady Lions at the 3:34 mark. Scoring for the Lady Indians were Sutterfield, Murphy, and Batchelor. Horatio’s Emma Ray brought the Lady Lions back and kickstarted an 8-1 run to put the Lady Lions down 20-14 with 1:12 remaining in the first half. Poyen’s H. Edwards then stopped
the run with a free throw while Anderson came back with two more free throws to give the Lady Indians a 23-14 lead at the half.
Coming out of the half, the Lady Lions started to mount their comeback. Horatio’s Rivas and Ray led the Lady Lions with a six-point run to cut their deficit to three points. Sutterfield was able to get the Lady Indians going by swishing a 3-pointer while H. Edwards and P. Edwards each scored to put the Lady Indians back in the lead by double digits, 30-20, with 3:03 remaining in the third. Ray,
Tristian Short, and Madison Olvey ended the third quarter with two baskets and two free throws to cut into the Lady Indians’ lead. At the end of the third, the Lady Indians led 30-26.
At the start of the fourth, Horatio’s Mallori Marshall drilled a 3-pointer to put the Lady Lions down by one point. M. Edwards then scored to put the Lady Indians up by three, but Horatio’s Lauren Emerson swished a second 3-pointer to tie the game at 32-32. Anderson gave control back to the Lady Indians by making two free throws, but
a third 3-pointer, by Horatio’s Short, gave the Lady Lions their first lead of the game 35-34. It was the Lady Lions only lead of the game as Poyen’s H. Edwards came back with a basket to give the Lady Indians back the lead. H. Edwards then made a free throw to put the Lady Indians up 37-35 with 2:51 left in the game. Horatio once again tied the game about a minute later but it was Murphy who would score to give the Lady Indians the lead 39-37 with 44 seconds left. Murphy’s last minute free throw secured the win for the Lady Indians 40-37.