Second half surge gives Lady Warriors win over BIC

EPC erased a 19 point halftime deficit, which included only allowing two points in the fourth quarter, to come away with a 48-45 win over BIC this past Friday in 2A-3 conference action in Lepanto.

Kendra Towell gave BIC the early 1-0 lead hitting one of two free throws before Kyla Harston scored in the paint for EPC to make it 2-1 Lady Warriors. Chandler Gathrigth hit a jumper for the Lady Mustangs before Jalyn Constant hit triple twine for EPC making the score 5-3 Lady Warriors with 4:10 left. BIC went on a 10-0 run as Gathright scored inside, Jaylyn Cagle got a steal and layup, Gathright scored back to back baskets inside, Emma Kate McCord stuck back a rebound and scored off the fast break to make it 15-5 Lady Mustangs at the end of one quarter.

Josephine Hanneken hit two free throws early in second quarter top push the BIC lead to 17-5 as EPC got one of two free throws from Harston and a stick back from Allison Gaines to cut the lead to 17-8. Riley Parker hit one of two free throws for BIC, Gaines scored inside for the Lady Warriors before Parker canned a three-pointer making the score 21-10 Lady Mustangs with 3:26 left. Gaines hit two free throws for the Lady Warriors only to see BIC end the quarter with a fast break layup from Cagle, a three-pointer from McCord, two free throws from Towell and a three-ball from Cagle to take a 31-12 lead to halftime.

Gaines hit one of two free throws to open the third quarter scoring for the Lady Warriors and McCord hit a jumper for BIC to make it 33-13 Lady Mustangs. EPC went on a 9-0 run as Riley Ashcraft canned a three-pointer, Kelly Ashcraft hit two free throws while Harston hit a jumper and scored in the paint making it 33-22 BIC. Gathright got inside for basket for BIC before Riley Ashcraft canned a three-ball and scored down low to make it 35-27 Lady Mustangs with 4:18 left. Gathright hit a jumper in the lane for BIC, Kelly Ashcraft scored in the paint for the Lady Warriors but Hanneken and Parker scored back to back baskets down low to make it 41-29 BIC. McCord scored a basket inside for the Lady Mustangs only to see EPC get a basket inside from Kylee Henderson and two free throws from Riley Ashcraft to make it 43-33 BIC after three quarters of play.

EPC cut the lead to 43-38 early in the final quarter as Zaniya Shepherd got a stick back basket and Constant drilled a three-pointer before Gathright hit one of two free throws to make the score 44-38 BIC. Gaines and Harston scored back to back baskets in the paint for the Lady Warriors and Cagle hit one of two free throws for BIC making it 45-42 BIC with 2:37 left. EPC scored the last six points of the game as Henderson hit one of two free throws, Constant canned a three-pointer and Gaines scored inside making the final score 48-45 EPC.

“I think we played a very sluggish first half and got down 19. I told them at halftime they could either fight back and make it a game or lay down and give them the game,” EPC head coach Spencer Harston said. “We came out and fought, cutting the lead to 10 at the end of three and the outscored them in the fourth for the win. I’m very proud of my girls tonight,” Harston added.

Gaines led EPC with 11 points and Riley Ashcraft added 10 points. Harston and Constant both scored nine points, Kelly Ashcraft added four points, Henderson finished with three points, while Shepherd chipped in two points for the Lady Warriors.

“You can’t turn the ball over 20 times a game and expect to win. EPC played a great second half tonight,” BIC head coach Trevor Matheny said after the game. “We struggle with that (turnovers) right now and we know that and they took advantage of it. I’m sure we’ll see them down the road,” Matheny added.

Gathright led BIC with 13 points and McCord finished with 11 points. Cagle tossed in eight points, Parker added six points, Hanneken netted four points while Towell had three points for the Lady Mustangs.