Northern Tier Sports ReportATHENS — Wyalusing dropped a back-and-forth defensive battle against Athens during NTL girls’ hoops action Monday.
The Wildcats led 16-10 after one, but Wyalusing crawled back to take a 26-25 lead going into the fourth quarter. In the final frame Athens out scored them 14-9 to get the win.
Treanna Nickeson had 13 points to lead the Rams, as Alysha Botts scored nine. Emily Johns finished with seven, and Rachel Wilson added six.
Addy Wheeler had 16 points to lead Athens, including eight in the final frame.
The Wildcats hit four 3-balls en route to the 6-point first quarter lead, with Botts pacing Wyalusing with a five point effort.
Nickeson then got hot in the second, scoring all 10 Ram points as they held Athens to just five to cut the deficit to 21-20 at the half.
The two teams combined for just 10 points in the third quarter, but it was Wyalusing taking the lead as Botts, Nickeson, and Johns all had baskets.
Wilson hit a basket early in the fourth to put the Rams up three but Athens went on a 5-2 run to knot the game up at 30.
They got free throws from McKenna Jarvis, and a bucket from Wheeler to go up 34-30. A free throw from Johns, followed by a bucket out of Botts cut it to 34-33 with 1:03 left to play.
Alison Kemp hit a free throw to make it 35-33 with 31 seconds to play. The Wildcats went up 37-33 with Wheeler free throws, but a Wilson bucket with eight seconds left made it a 2-point game again.
Wheeler would ice the game with another pair of free throws after that.
Wyalusing (13-9) will likely face Towanda for the third time in the district playoffs, and will wait to see where the game will be at.
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PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY
