The Heritage Christian Academy girls’ basketball team won their fifth straight, and first by a single-digit margin on Friday night, nipping the visiting Oak Ridge Lady Warriors 48-46. HCA improves to 9-2, while Oak Ridge falls to 7-4.
The first quarter was tightly contested, and the teams were tied at 12 going into the second quarter. HCA senior Rachel West had 11 of the team’s first quarter points, and she added 6 more in the second quarter, including a 3 from midcourt at the buzzer, to propel the Lady Warriors to a 27-22 halftime lead. Juniors Chelsea Dortch and Kayley Wadlington had 5 and 4, respectively.
The Lady Warriors maintained their lead in the third quarter, with West and Dortch continuing to lead the way with 9 of the team’s 14 third quarter points between them. They led 41-33 as the game headed into the fourth quarter, but Oak Ridge steadily chipped away at the lead. With just over three minutes remaining, HCA was clinging to a 45-43 lead. West would step up again, nailing a 3 pointer with 1:40 left to push the lead to two possessions at 48-44.
Oak Ridge again cut the lead to 2 with 55 seconds left to play and HCA with the ball, but an offensive foul set up a last shot opportunity for Oak Ridge. They went for the win with a 3 point attempt, but couldn’t connect and freshman Abbi Bullock pulled down the rebound to preserve the 48-46 win.
West’s 23 led all scorers, with Dortch also scoring in double-digits with 11. Bullock had 5, Wadlington 4, sophomore Meredith Crunk and senior Hope Flournoy scored 2, and sophomore Logan Gibson added a free throw.
Heritage Christian returns to the court on Saturday when they travel to Liberty, KY to face the winless Galilean Christian Academy Eagles (0-5).
