Late free throw sends Perrin girls to 30-29 win

PERRIN – Anytime Perrin and Bryson hook up in any sport, toss records out the window and expect a battle.

Such was the case Feb. 2 when the Jack County schools took to the hardwood for a girls battle. Bryson led for most of the first three quarters before the host Lady Pirates picked up a key free throw in the final 12 seconds to pull ahead and take a 30-29 victory.

Cowgirl sophomore Riley Valliant owned the first few minutes, her baskets and three-pointer staking the visitors to a 7-0 lead. Erika Hernandez ended the run but Savannah and Summer Burkett continued the string which helped the host squad get within three.

Valliant closed a ninepoint frame with a late bucket as did Windsor Godfrey to give Bryson a 12-8 lead with one quarter in the books.

Bryson went up six after an Allie Orr threepoint play but the hostesses wouldn’t go away using Aaliyah Brown free throws and Nayeli Lopez’s jumper to get within one with 2:33 to go in the half. Victoria Goodman converted from outside late in the half as did Orr to put Bryson, which shot 36 percent in the first two quarters, ahead 22-18 at intermission.

An offensive slowdown occurred in the final two quarters. Bryson was 3-17 shooting from the field with Perrin an even more abysmal 3-24. Still, Orr and Goodman put the visitors up eight mid-way through the third as Perrin missed its first 12 shots from the floor.

Keeping the Lady Pirates in the game was free throw shooting from Brown, Karson Bland and Tatum Collier. Valiant left the game with an ankle injury midway through the frame but would return.

It would be enough as Perrin drew within one as Collier capped the quarter with Perrin’s lone bucket with 4.3 seconds left.

Neither team scored for the first three minutes and change of the final stanza until Collier continued her hot streak with Perrin’s first bucket with 4:53 to go and the hostesses leading 27-26.

The score stayed status quo for more than three minutes until a Goodman putback put Bryson up. Brown’s nifty drive through the lane gave Perrin the lead back at 29-28 with 58 ticks remaining.

Valliant would tie the game at 29 with 29 seconds left. Hernandez was fouled on a three-point shot, buried the second of two free throws with 12.2 seconds to go and Bryson could not get a shot to fall.

Brown tossed in eight points to lead Perrin with Hernandez and Collier adding six each. Valliant paced the Cowgirls with 12 points. Goodman added eight and Orr seven for Bryson.