ELKO - If the two games between the Lowry High School junior varsity girls basketball team and Elko this season are any indication of what the future holds for Division I-A North girls basketball, the league is in pretty good hands.
The two rivals played to a four-point decision in Winnemucca in mid-January, with the Indians grabbing the upper hand. The two scrappy squads went back at it on Wednesday in Elko, with the Indians notching a 56-53 overtime victory.
The Lady Bucks (15-5 overall, 7-2 Division I-A North, 4-2 Ruby Mountain League) were without head coach Chelsea Cabatbat, who did not make the trip due to being sick. Longtime Lowry varsity boys head coach Vince Mendiola, Cabatbat's father, coached the squad on the day.
Lowry made it look easy in the opening two minutes of the contest - picking up baskets by Jillian Albright, Jasmine Anicker and Dani Ricker to lead 6-0.
Foul trouble became an issue for Lowry in the opening eight minutes of play as Sierra Thiede and Anicker each picked up two fouls in the first period and did not return to the floor until the second half.
Elko did most of its scoring in the first quarter from the free throw line, making 9-of-12 shots from the charity stripe. The Indians made just two field goals in the quarter but still led 15-10.
Elko led by as many as 10 points late in the second quarter, when Lowry rallied to cut the deficit to six points at halftime on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Chelsea Herrera and free throw by Albright.
However, the Indians scored the first five points of the third quarter to push the advantage back to double figures. Albright and Anicker did their best to keep Lowry in the game as the duo combined for 14 of the Lady Bucks' 16 points in the third period. Lowry was able to erase eight points off the margin and trailed by two points entering the fourth quarter.
Lowry tied the game up at 39-39 when Albright stole the ball off Elko's opening possession of the final period and moments later Hayley Hall hit a short jump shot to put the Lady Bucks in front at 41-39.
The Indians responded with an 8-0 run to go up 47-41 with three minutes to play, but would not score again in regulation.
Thiede and Anicker each made a free throw to cut the gap to four points with just under a minute left to play.
Lowry forced a Elko turnover on the next possession and Herrera made a basket to trim the lead to two points, at 47-45. The Lady Bucks' defense stepped up again, forcing the Indians to turn the ball over again and Albright hit a 10-foot shot to send the game into overtime.
Lowry had the lead once, at 49-48 in the extra period on a shot by Herrera. Elko took the advantage for good, hitting a 3-point shot to lead 51-49. Hall and Albright connected on shots to keep the Lady Bucks within striking distance at 54-53.
Lowry was forced to foul Elko and the Indians made two free throws to extend the advantage to three points. The Lady Bucks missed out on scoring on their next possession but forced an Indian turnover with three seconds to play.
After a timeout, Lowry set up a play to go the length of a court and got the ball to an open Albright but her 20-foot shot at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
Albright, a freshman, led all scorers with 23 points. Anicker and Herrera added nine and seven points, respectively. Hall netted four points, Ricker and Thiede three each and Madie Mayo and Katie Tyree had two apiece.
Lowry notched two wins this past weekend as it traveled to White Pine and West Wendover for a pair of Ruby Mountain League games. The Lady Bucks defeated White Pine 36-21 on Friday, Jan. 25, and West Wendover 50-7 on Saturday.
The Lady Bucks used six points from Herrera and four each from Estefany Espinoza and Albright to build a 15-0 lead in the first quarter against White Pine.
Lowry used a 14-4 run in the third period to take a 20-point advantage as Albright, Thiede and Anicker combined for all 14 points in the period.
Albright led all scorers with 14 points and Herrera and Anicker each had seven. Thiede contributed six, Espinoza four and Hall two.
Lowry had little trouble with West Wendover as Anicker (18) and Albright outscored the Wolverines by themselves. West Wendover was held scoreless in the final eight minutes of play and scored three points or less in each of the other three quarters. The Lady Bucks outscored the Wolverines 28-2 in the second half.
Tyree added seven points for Lowry, Espinoza four and Ricker, Thiede and Herrera had two each.
The Lady Bucks return to their home floor today to face Battle Mountain at 3 p.m.
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