AHOSKIE – Bertie High School will defend their title.

The Lady Falcon’s basketball team earned a 64-41 win over Northampton County High School n East Wednesday night to punch their ticket to the finals of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald Holiday Classic sponsored by United County Joe Murray Realty.

The Bertie team got 18 points from Yashanti Bridgers and 10 from Ayanna Wilson as they rolled to the tournament finals.

The Lady Falcons wasted little time taking control of the contest, scoring the first 15 points enroute to a 20-3 lead after one quarter.

Bridgers scored the first bucket and was followed by hoops from Satora Swain and Devonda Bond. Montressa Perry also scored during the 15-0 spurt to start the game.

Northampton-East’s Domonique Peebles stopped the spurt with a free throw, but then Bertie got back-to-back hoops from Wilson and a free throw from Tierra Brown to take a 20-1 lead.

Peebles scored Northampton’s first field goal with 30 seconds left in the first quarter.

Bridgers and Lady Ram Brittany Boone exchanged hoops to start the second quarter, but the Lady Falcons went on a 10-1 run from that point to pull away.

After a Brown shot from the charity stripe, Perry scored a field goal and a free throw. Peebles then hit a free throw for East to get within 26-6, but the Lady Falcons got scores from Bridgers and Tiffany Chamblee and a pair of free throws from Perry to take a 32-6 advantage.

Northampton trailed 38-11 late in the second period when they rolled off the final nine points of the half to get within 38-20 at the intermission.

Brittany Manley started the spurt with a field goal, but Peebles did most of the damage with two buckets and a free throw. Alicia Piland added the other hoop.

Bertie’s Monica Outlaw scored from three-point land to start the second half and was followed by a Swain bucket, but the Lady Rams responded with baskets by Ebony Peebles and Dominique Peebles, who finished with a game-high 24 points.

Bertie, however, scored 10 of the next 11 points to once again take a commanding lead. Wilson led the spurt with four points as the Lady Falcons led 53-27 after three periods.

Northampton opened the fourth quarter with two free throws from Patrice Williams and a bucket each from D. Peebles and Manley as they got within 53-33.

Northampton got as close as 60-41, but Bertie got late hoops from Swain and Brown to establish the final score.

The victory put Bertie in the finals again where they met Hertford County High School last night (Friday).

Northampton-East played in Thursday night’s Consolation Game against Gates County.

Lady Falcons (64): Yashanti Bridgers n 18, Ayanna Wilson n 10, Tierra Brown n 9, Satora Swain n 9, Montressa Perry n 7, Devonda Bond n 6, Monica Outlaw n 3, Tiffany Chamblee n 2

Lady Rams (41): Domonique Peebles n 24, Brittany Manley n 6, Patrice Williams n 4, Brittany Boone n 3, Alicia Piland n 2, Ebony Peebles – 2