Lumberton, the 2002 4-A state champion prevailed by 52-40, but the home-standing Patriots led briefly late in the first half and trailed by just two points midway through the third quarter.
Senior guard Tina Horne, of the now 0-14 Patriots, was asked what brought out the best in her team against the 10-5 Pirates of the Two Rivers Conference.
“We had to pick it up because you hear about Lumberton this and Lumberton that,” she said. “We’re struggling, but we are determined to win some games. We take it game by game, that’s all we do.”
Horne, Sara Cole and Stephanie Carter led a defensive effort that forced 21 turnovers against an experienced trio of Pirate guards.
Trailing 9-2 early, the Patriots took a 12-11 lead on the first possession of the second quarter on a trey by Cole from Katherine McGarrah. A combined seven points in a row by guards Christy Freeman and Sierra Brooks put the Pirates back in front 18-11.
But near the end of the period, a trey by Star Wilson from Carter tied it at 19-19 and a jumper by Jennifer Brophy put the Patriots ahead 21-19. The visitors came back to take a 25-21 lead at the intermission.
The Patriots bounced back one more time before the work of 2002 North Carolina Women’s Heisman winner Anna Evans and the other two guards took their toll on the home team.
Center Jessica Bush assisted on back-to-back baskets by Horne and her sister Gwen making it 29-25 Lumberton. A few minutes later, Carter converted a Brophy miss, was fouled and made the free throw bringing the Patriots to within two at 32-30 with 4:09 left in the third quarter.
The Pirates responded with a 9-0 run that included treys by Evans and Freeman and a layup by Brooks.
“Before the game, coach Foxx (Barbara) told us to watch out for the three guards,” Tina Horne said. “She said they are all shooters.”
After the game, Pirate coach Danny Graham said that his players sometimes don’t seem to realize that the three stars from the championship team that have gone on to play college ball are no longer here. He had praise for the Patriots.
“They did a real good job,” he said. “They didn’t play like a team that hadn’t won a game.”
Evans, one of the starters on the championship squad, handed out eight assists to go with 11 points. Graham said that she has scholarship offers from South Carolina, Arizona, UNC and NC State for softball. She was also all-conference in tennis. Freeman and Christie Cooper led the visitors with 13 points each.
Wilson notched a pair of threes and led Pinecrest with eight points.
The Patriots had one of their most efficient nights on offense with 14 assists contributing to 17 of 38 shooting from the field (45 percent).
Tina Horne, Carter and Bush had three assists each.
“We play better when we are able to slow the game down,” Horne said. “That way we can set things up and get good passes.”
Tonight the Patriots travel to Scotland County for a 6 p.m. Mid-Southeastern Conference game.
The Pinecrest junior varsity (5-7) defeated Lumberton 47-40. Satara Cain and Ebony Ransom each scored 11 points to lead the victors.
Lumberton 11 14 17 10 — 52
Pinecrest 9 12 11 8 — 40
Lumberton — Freeman 5-11 1-2 13, Brooks 3-8 4-4 10, Cooper 6-8 1-2 13, Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Faircloth 1-3 2-4 4, Evans 4-8 1-1 11, Locklear. Totals – 20-48 9-14 52.
Pinecrest — Brophy 2-5 0-0 4, Bush 3-8 0-0 6, G. Horne 3-7 0-2 6, Wilson 3-6 0-0 8, T. Horne 1-1 1-2 3, Cole 2-5 0-0 5, Carter 2-4 2-3 6, Sealy 1-2 0-2 2, McGarrah. Totals – 17-38 3-9 40.
Three-point goals: Lumberton 4 (Freeman 2, Evans 2); Pinecrest 3 (Wilson 2, Cole).
