NTL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: CANTON FALLS TO NP-LIBERTY LATE (2021-02-23)

Northern Tier Sports Report
LIBERTY — Canton came up just short against NP-Liberty, falling 40-39 in NTL girls’ basketball action Tuesday.

The Warriors led 34-32 going into the final frame, but a 4-0 run in the middle of the quarter put the Mountaineers up 38-36.

Canton would tie it at 38-all on a Reagan Kelley bucket, but with 50 seconds left Liberty’s Eva Rice knocked down a pair of free throws to once again put the Mounties on top.

With 15 seconds remaining, Canton’s Emmie Tymeson got a steal, but missed the lay-up. Kelley nabbed the offensive rebound, and was sent to the line. 

She made the first, but missed the second, cutting it to 40-39. However, Canton wasn’t able to get the go ahead bucket in the final 14 seconds.

Tymeson netted 12 to lead Canton as Aislyn Williams finished with 11. Molly Ward scored seven, Kelley had five and Courteney Weiskopft finished with four.

Rice led NPL with 13 points as Ryan Upham finished with eight.

Canton jumped out to an 11-1 first quarter lead as four different Warriors scored, led by Tymeson’s four points.

Down the stretch, though, NPL went on a 7-0 run to cut it to 11-8, punctuated with back-to-back buckets from Rice.

The Mounties continued that run early into the second and scored the quarter’s first six points to go up 14-11. 

After a Canton basket, NPL added four more points to take an 18-13 lead. Back-to-back buckets by Ward cut it to 18-17, but a putback by NPL’s Sidney Landis made it a three-point lead again.

Tymeson then hit back-to-back buckets to put Canton on top 21-20 at the half.

NPL started the third strong as it went on a 6-0 run to retake the lead, 26-21. The two teams traded buckets until a late 8-0 run by Williams, including two 3-balls, put Canton up by two points going into the final frame.

The two teams will match up at Canton on Thursday.

CUTLINE: Canton's Molly Ward saves the ball against NP-Liberty Tuesday...PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.