Strong fourth quarter lifts Lady Hawks over Bozeman

It took a strong fourth quarter for the Lady Seahawks to snap a 16-all tie Thursday, Dec. 22 at the Nest, as they went on to defeat the Bozeman Lady Bucks 32-25.

The Franklin County girls basketball team now sports a record of 6-2, undefeated in district play, with a matchup against the 6-3 Bethlehem Lady Wildcats Friday night, Dec. 30 at the Nest.

Coach Jordan McNair’s Seahawk were treading water through most of the three quarters, leading only 6-4 at the half, and knotted at 16 going into the final stanza.

Freshman Mia Thomas, who led the team with 10 points on the night, scored the opening bucket, but Franklin County found themselves trailing by two as the Lady Bucks scored four straight, and might well have scored more except for a pair of traveling calls.

Thomas sank a free throw, and the team trailed 21-19 with 4:30 left to play.

Sophomore Mahala Griggs came up with a big three-pointer, and then eighth grader Efredia Wesee sank a bucket underneath, and the Lady Seahawks led 24-21.

Griggs missed the front end of a one-and-one, and after Wesee was fouled after a rebound, she nailed one from the charity stripe and Franklin County’s lead was now four, 25-21.

The Lady Bucks scored, and then with just under 50 seconds left on the clock, eighth grader Sa’ryiah McNair downed a pair of free throws, for a 27-23 lead, her only points of the night.

Wesee, who finished with six points on the night, then scored, but missed the free throw, and the Lady Seahawks still led by four, 29-25.

Griggs, who finished with nine, stole the ball and scored, and Franklin County had secured the seven-point win.  

Wesee led the team with nine rebounds, with seven coming at the hands of eighth grader Gigi Griffin, who also scored two points on the night. Griggs, who had two assists and two steals, pulled in five caroms, as did Thomas.