Addy Edwards
LEWISVILLE, Ind. – It took the Tri girls basketball team a little while to get going, but the Titans turned the game in their favor on Tuesday as the defeated Lincoln 47-38.
Both teams entered the contest unbeaten in the Tri-Eastern Conference and with the result, Tri (8-1) is now tied at the top with Union City (5-2, 2-0) as each team has two wins. The Golden Eagles are 4-2 overall in 1-1 in the conference.
The most critical moments for the Titans came in the second half as the Titans went from a 21-17 deficit at the intermission to a 37-31 advantage heading into the final period.
“The kids battled,” Tri Head Coach Jeff Miller said. “In the third quarter, we got in a rhythm. These TEC games are going to be grinders.”
Highlighting the 20-point effort in the period was the performance of Addy Edwards.
After Tri gave up a basket to the Golden Eagles to begin the third quarter, Edwards hit a 3-pointer to cut Lincoln’s lead to 23-20 at the 7:14 mark.
Edwards drilled another trey with 5:35 left to tie the contest at 25-25. The Titans opened up a small lead before Edwards struck again with 1:14 remaining with a 3-pointer that gave her team a 34-29 lead. The junior finished the frame with her fourth 3-pointer that gave the Titans a 37-31 lead.
“We can’t have that kind of lapse,” Lincoln Head Coach Rob Bills said of his young team’s defense. “We’re going to have some ups and downs. Our effort was good and we played hard.”
In the last period, Lincoln was able to get as close a four points twice with the final time coming with 2:08 left when Emmie Pugh scored to make it 42-38.
Golden Eagles on Top Early
Kerrigan Neff
Lincoln started the night with an 8-2 lead after Allie Owens hit a pair of free throws at the 3:16 mark of the first quarter.
“We got off to a good start,” Lincoln Head Coach Rob Bills said. “I was really pleased, but I thought we should have been up more at halftime.”
Miller felt the same way about the Golden Eagles.
“We didn’t play very well the first half,” he said. “(They) were just more aggressive than us. A year ago (we) would have folded as they got down like that. Really proud of our defense.”
Edwards led the Titans with 12 points and nine rebounds. Cayla Johnson finished with nine points and Kylie Dishman added eight points and six rebounds.
Kerrigan Neff led Lincoln with 12 points and she added eight rebounds. Owens picked up eight points for the Golden Eagles. Kylei Klein and Oliva Davis each had nine rebounds for Lincoln.
Tri won the JV tilt 45-11. Kaley Harrison led the Tutans with 16 points, while Auburn Harvey added 15. Ryanne Davis had four points for the Golden Eagles.
Lincoln visits Wapahani on Thursday, Dec. 3. Tri returns to action at Cowan on Saturday, Dec. 5.
Box Score
LINCOLN (4-2, 1-1) – Laynie Russell 1 0-0 3, Kerrigan Neff 5 2-3 12, Kylei Klein 0 3-6 3, Allie Owens 2 2-2 8, Olivia Davis 3 0-0 6, Hannah Hall 0 0-0 0, Emmie Pugh 3 0-0 6. Team – 14 7-11 38.
TRI (8-1, 2-0) – Kylie Dishman 3 0-0 8, Mackenzie Peggs 0 3-5 3, Cayla Johnson 4 1-2 9, Payton Moore 2 0-0 4, Addy Edwards 4 0-0 12, Karlee Winkhart 2 0-0 5, Kensington Appleby 1 0-1 3, Mara Biehl 1 1-2 3. Team – 17 5-10 47.
Lincoln 10 21 31 38
Tri 11 17 37 47
3-pointers – Lincoln 3 (Owens 2, Russell 1), Tri 8 (Edwards 4, Dishman 2, Winkhart 1, Appleby 1). Rebounds – Lincoln 41 (Klein 9, Owens 9, Neff 8), Tri 44 (Edwards 9, Dishman 6). Turnovers – Lincoln 15, Tri 20. Fouls – Lincoln 16, Tri 14.