Loogootee Jr-Sr High School

Lady Lions Fall to #6 Evansville Christian, Move to 5–2 on the Season On Saturday afternoon, the Loogootee Lady Lions traveled to Evansville Christian for two quarters of JV action and a varsity matchup against the #6-ranked Lady Eagles. The JV team opened the day with a loss, and the varsity followed in a highly competitive contest. The Lady Lions came out firing to start the varsity game. Alexis Heckard opened the scoring with a three, followed quickly by a pair of threes from Lydia Hawkins and a layup, surging Loogootee ahead 11–2 and forcing an early Evansville Christian timeout. The Lady Lions carried a 13–7 advantage into the second quarter. Both teams struggled to score early in the period, going nearly four minutes before the Lady Eagles broke the drought with a layup and three free throws. Hawkins responded with another strong finish at the rim, and Alaina Diamond knocked down a smooth 15-footer to give the Lady Lions life offensively. After another Evansville Christian free throw, Diamond spun through the lane for an impressive finish, sending Loogootee into halftime leading 19–13. Evansville Christian quickly erased the lead with a pair of threes in the opening minute of the second half. Diamond found Ava Jeffers for a bucket to briefly reclaim the advantage at 21–19, but it would be the final lead of the night for Loogootee. The Lady Eagles answered with a decisive 13–1 run, creating a cushion they would maintain the rest of the way. The Lady Lions made multiple pushes, trimming the gap to 32–27 and later 38–33, but Evansville Christian held firm and closed out a 51–40 victory. Stat Leaders Loogootee was led by Alaina Diamond, who recorded her sixth double-double in seven games, finishing with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks while going 11-for-14 from the free-throw line. Lydia Hawkins followed closely with 14 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc. Other contributions included: Alexis Heckard – 6 points (2-for-4 shooting) Sophia Toy – 3 points (one three-pointer) Ava Jeffers – 2 points, 5 rebounds The Lady Lions fall to 5–2 on the season and return to action Tuesday night on the road at White River Valley.