When your opponent shoots 33 more free throws than your team, you don’t need a compass and slide rule to figure out the outcome of the game.
Northside Baptist Christian used their advantage at the charity stripe to hand Heritage Christian Academy a 44-23 loss Thursday in Mayfield.
The Lady Royals were 17-of-37 at the free throw line thanks to 16 more fouls being whistled on the Lady Warriors in the contest. HCA was 0-of-4 at the line.
Northside ended the first quarter on a 6-0 run to grab a 14-9 lead they would not relinquish. The Lady Royals’ offense consisted mainly of two players. Emilie Whitaker had 24 points, including an 11-of-21 night at the free throw line. LeeAnn Richard scored 18 and visited the free throw line 18 times, hitting six.
In the second quarter with both Richard and Whitaker saddled with two fouls, Northside went into stall mode against the Lady Warriors to try and keep them from picking up their third foul. Both teams scored four points in the quarter. Only Richard was called for a foul the rest of the game.
Maggie Britton hit back-to-back buckets for the Lady Warriors to bring them to within 23-17. Northside then put the game away with a 13-0 run to take a 36-17 lead.
HCA appeared to have ended the run at 8-0 when Kinley Deason hit a 3-pointer ahead of the third quarter horn, but the basket was waived off by the official who said it came after time expired.
Deason led HCA with eight points, while Abbi Bullock added five points and three rebounds. In addition to her four points, Britton led the Lady Warriors with eight rebounds. Logan Gibson added six rebounds.
Heritage Christian returns to action Dec. 7 in the Highlands Latin Girls Classic in Louisville.
Heritage Christian 9 4 4 6– 23
Northside Baptist 14 4 13 13—44
HCA (0-2) – Deason 8, Bullock 5, Crunk 2, Zieg 2, Britton 4, Gibson 2
Northside – Whitaker 24, Richard 18, Sheridan 2
