Lady Indians top Rebels

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

The Rural Retreat Lady Indians used a strong fourth quarter to defeat the Patrick Henry Lady Rebels 42-37 in a Hogoheegee District girls’ basketball game played Friday night at RRHS.
The game was close throughout with neither team rarely able to enjoy more than a three-point margin. The game was tied at halftime, and the Lady Rebels led during most of the third quarter and took a three-point advantage in the final period.
But the Lady Indians turned it up over the final eight minutes to outscore PH 17-9 and claim their first district win. RR is 1-1 in the district and 3-7 overall. Patrick Henry drops to 0-2 in the district and 6-3 overall.
Rural Retreat was led by Kristin Eubanks and Charlotte Reasor in scoring with 12 points apiece. Mary Sholes led PH with 12 points and Heather Thomas added 10.
The Lady Rebels took a quick 6-0 when Thomas opened the scoring with a three-pointer. Then Jessica Hayter connected on the first of two free throws; the second one bounced out, but Sholes put in the offensive rebound for a 6-0 PH lead.
The Lady Indians got their game going and took their first lead of the game at 9-8 with about two minutes left in the first quarter.
PH closed out the period with a basket to take a 10-9 lead at the end of one.
The Lady Rebels expanded their lead to five (17-12) with less than two minutes left in the first half after a three-pointer by Jessie Morgan, but the Lady Indians answered with a three-pointer by Kristin Eubanks and then a bucket by Reasor to tie the score at 17-17 at halftime.
The game continued to be close during the third quarter and was tied until Emily Simmons connected on a three-pointer at the buzzer to put PH up 28-25 going into the fourth quarter.
Reasor opened the fourth for RR by making a steal and layup. A few minutes later, Reasor gave the Lady Indians their first lead since early in the second half with a three-point shot to make it 32-31.
Another Reasor bucket extended RR’s lead to three (37-34) and PH called a time-out with 2:16 left in the game.
Two free throws by Kari Eubanks with 27 seconds left put the Lady Indians up 39-34, but Thomas hit a three-point shot to make it a two-point game with about 10 seconds left.
Kari then connected on two more free throws with seven seconds left to seal the game.
Rural Retreat is scheduled to be home tonight against Tazewell and is slated to travel to Chilhowie on Thursday.

Patrick Henry 10 7 11 9 – 37
Rural Retreat 9 8 8 17 – 42

Patrick Henry – Thomas 10, Morgan 5, Simpson 2, Sholes 12, Hayter 1, Kelly 2, Simmons 4.
Rural Retreat – Kristin Eubanks 12, Kari Eubanks 8, Brittany Ball 2, Charlotte Reasor 12, McCallister 8.
(T – 1:16)