Lani Briggs Scores 10 but Junior High Shamrock Girls Fall Short

Lani Briggs did all she could to keep the Shamrocks in the game Thursday, but a bad start to the second half, 23 turnovers, and 16 offensive boards were too much to overcome as the Shamrocks fell 24-17 to Winston to fall to 0-2.

The focus of the game for North Harrison was to put up a more respectable game after getting run out of the gym in their first game, a 44-6 loss to Dan Owens' Mercer Cardinals. They needed to limit the looks of the mobile, athletic post player Isabel Robinson, and limit transition looks. They did a much better job of getting back on defense, and they allowed no fast break points. But after holding Robinson in check in the first half, limiting her to three points, they let her run wild in the second half, as she got 10 of Winston's 18 points in that frame.

Andi Nail hit the first four points for North Harrison, scoring off a steal and hitting a tough shot with a defender draped all over her in the first quarter. Consecutive 3-pointers by Winston in the second put them in front 6-4, but Kira Robertson's drive knotted it at 6-6 at the end of the first half.

But then Robinson took over for Winston during a critical three minute stretch for the Redbirds. As North Harrison's turnovers were mounting, she scored off a drive and hit two tough shots with defenders all over her as the Redbirds scored the first eight points of the third quarter to make it 14-6.

Lani Briggs, who hadn't scored up to that point, started slashing to the rim and Kira Robertson added a free throw as the Shamrocks stopped the bleeding and trailed 16-9 going into the fourth quarter. Mea McCampbell's drive put the Redbirds up 18-11 after Briggs had cut it to five to start the fourth, but then Briggs countered with a drive, hit one from the right side, and scored off a steal to cut the deficit to 18-17 with 2:57 left in the game. But then the turnovers and the missed boxouts came back to haunt North Harrison at the worst possible time as Summer Wain got a putback and Isabel Robinson added a steal to put the Redbirds back in front 22-17. The lid was on the rim for North Harrison, as they missed two free throws and a ton of shots down the stretch. Rosie Cameron added a shot at the buzzer for Winston for the final score.

Lani Briggs had 10 points for the Shamrocks. Andi Nail had 4 and Kira Robertson had 3.

Kira Robertson and Andi Nail had 5 boards each. Addison Davis had 4, as did Lani Briggs. Jaxcynn Hansel had 3, and Harmony Post and Riley Valenti had 1 each.

Lani Briggs had 3 assists. Andi Nail and Kira Robertson had 1 each.

Lani Briggs had 3 tips. Kira Robertson had 1. Lani Briggs had 7 steals. Andi Nail had 4, while Kira Robertson and Jaxcynn Hansel had 1 each.