Buffalo Island Central saw its season come spinning to an end at the hands of Sloan Hendrix Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the 2A-3 district tournament in Monette.
The Lady Greyhounds dealt BIC a 43-38 defeat by canning 10-11 free throws in the pivotal fourth quarter.
BIC grabbed what would be their last lead of the game, 28-27, on a pair of Haddyn Hurst free throws with 5:56 left in the game. Sloan Hendrix answered when Natalie King powered her way to the glass, giving the Lady Greyhounds the lead for good, 29-28. Choie Marshall followed with an offensive stick-back at the 4:10 mark to put Sloan Hendrix up by three.
BIC went cold from the field over the next three plus minutes, getting only a Hurst foul shot during the span. Forced to foul, the Lady Mustangs sent Sloan Hendrix to the foul line, where the Lady Greyhounds made BIC pay by dropping in seven straight free throws to up their advantage to 38-29 with just 40 ticks left on the clock. Marshall dropped in a pair of foul shots and added a three-point play while Maddyson Lamb also sank a pair of charity tosses.
BIC responded when Morgan James drilled a long three pointer with 32 seconds remaining. Lamb was fouled and knocked down two more free throws to up the Sloan Hendrix lead to 40-32 with 22 seconds to go. Hurst banged home a triple at the 14 second mark to slice the Lady Greyhound lead to 40-35. BIC then fouled Marshall, who hit one of two foul shots with 12 seconds left, giving Sloan Hendrix a 41-35 advantage. Hurst pitched in BIC’s third straight trey, slicing the Lady Greyhound lead to 41-38 with just five seconds showing. BIC fouled Marshall, who cannedboth free throw attempts, setting the final score.
Sloan Hendrix took a slim 11-10 lead after the first quarter, thanks to back to back treys by King and Samantha Webb.
James and Hurst combined for all BIC’s first quarter scoring production. Neither team could find the bucket in the second stanza, with Sloan Hendrix holding a 16-14 edge at the half.
BIC got even late in the third quarter before a three pointer by Ava Murphy gave the Lady Greyhounds a 27-24 lead heading into the final frame.
King and Marshall paced Sloan Hendrix with 12 points apiece.
The Lady Greyhounds connected on 14-16 foul shots and drained five three pointers.
James and Hurst finished their careers at BIC with double figure performances. James paced the Lady Mustangs with 18 while Hurst pitched in 15. Jealynn Cates scored four while Vicky Esparza added one point.
BIC struggled from the line, hitting just 9-17 attempts, while draining four three pointers.