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AHOSKIE – Hannah Slaughter scored 12 of her game-high 20 points in the second half, including a tie-breaking basket early in the third quarter, to lead Ridgecroft School to a 49-37 win over Northeast Academy here Tuesday night in varsity girls basketball action.

The win allowed Ridgecroft to improve to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in Tarheel Independent Conference play, where the Lady Rams currently hold down second place behind league-leading Lawrence Academy.

Northeast fell to 7-6 overall (1-5 in the TIC).

After a tightly contested first half, the game was tied at 23-23 after Northeast Academy’s Hayes Hatcher connected on a basket to open the third period.

Slaughter went to work at that point, scoring the game’s next six points (two baskets and draining a pair of free throws), handing the Lady Rams a 29-23 lead. Ridgecroft never trailed again.

Lacey Berryman then added two free throws and a basket, followed by a hoop from Olivia Revelle that helped Ridgecroft open up a double-digit lead at 35-25.

Northeast answered with four straight points (a basket by Chloe Long and two free throws from Arland Davis) to close to within six points (35-29) inside the final 30 seconds of the period.

Berryman closed the quarter with a pair of successful charity tosses and Slaughter and Kaitlyn Cordrey opened the fourth period with back-to-back baskets, staking the Lady Rams to their largest lead of the game at 41-29. That double-digit advantage held for the remainder of the contest.

Thanks to a basket each from Lena Taylor and Long, Northeast led early at 4-3. Ridgecroft responded with an 8-0 run, fueled by a pair of Slaughter baskets and a three-pointer from Berryman, to grab an 11-4 lead.

Northeast rallied, using a basket each by Jessa Pope and Davis, to close to within 11-8.

Ridgecroft led 14-8 at the end of the opening period and extended that advantage to nine (18-9) less than three minutes into the second quarter thanks to a pair of Klaire Cherry free throws and a basket by Cordrey.

Northeast – sparked by a pair of Pope three-pointers and an old-fashioned three-point play by Davis – then scored 12 of the game’s next 14 points to grab a 21-20 lead.

Slaughter answered with a three-pointer inside the final 60 seconds of the first half that gave the Lady Rams a narrow 23-21 lead at intermission.

Prior to the start of the game, Ridgecroft School held a ceremony to honor members of its senior class.

 

Lady Rams (49)

Hannah Slaughter – 20, Lacey Berryman – 14, Kaitlyn Cordrey – 6, Klaire Cherry – 5, Molly Brown – 2, Olivia Revelle – 2.

 

Lady Eagles (37)

Arland Davis – 15, Jessa Pope – 8, Hayes Hatcher – 6, Chloe Long – 6, Lena Taylor – 2.