Late surge lifts Lamar over Knights

La Junta, Colo. – The last ten minutes featured back and forth basketball, but the Knights could not hold off the last surge by the Runnin' Lopes of Lamar in the final three minutes, falling 88-80 on the final day of the Otero Classic.

Reece Halley led the Knights with 13 points and 11 rebounds for her first double-double of her collegiate career. Teammates Jada Grigsby and Fumnanya Ijeh each finished the afternoon with 14 points, respectively.

Lamar jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the opening two minutes, before a 5-0 run gave the Knights their first lead of the game on a three by Halley. Runnin' Lopes responded by beating the full court pressure to retake the lead with 6:28 to play in the quarter.

North Platte controlled the next minute to regain the lead on a layup by Samantha Riggles. Ijeh added her first bucket of the game to stretch the lead to four on a deep corner three. Lamar was not down long and regained the momentum to stretch their lead to 36-28 at the end of the opening quarter.

The scoring slowed down in the second quarter, as the Knights found themselves down 12 after a baseline jumper by the Runnin' Lopes. The margin stayed in double digits until the Knights settled into a rhythm on offense. A 7-0 run to end the quarter, was capped off by a transition buzzer beating layup by Grigsby, as the margin was cut to five at the halftime break.

Knights carried the momentum into the third quarter, erupting for an early 8-1 run to surge ahead 50-48 with 6:39 remaining in the period. Runnin' Lopes and Knights battled back and forth for the remainder of the quarter, as teams headed into the final ten minutes tied up at 62.

The final quarter featured four lead changes and three ties, as North Platte and Lamar continued to battle. All tied up with 2:58 to play, the Runnin' Lopes utilized strong full court pressure and tough defense to limit the Knights to only one field goal in the closing minutes. The pressure granted Lamar extra chances as they closed the game on a 6-0 run to close out the Knights.

North Platte (1-5) will travel to York, Neb. on Tuesday, Nov. 15 to take on York College JV. Tip is set for 4 p.m. inside the Freeman Center.