The 2A fifth-ranked Northeastern Lady Knights traveled to Tri High on Tuesday, Jan. 14, to face the Lady Titans, two-time defending Tri-Eastern Conference champion and ranked seventh in 1A, for the outright lead in the current TEC race.
The game was hard fought from the opening tip. The Lady Knights held a 14-11 lead after the first quarter. The Lady Titans returned to tie the score at 26-26 at halftime.
Northeastern made adjustments at halftime to take control of the game by controlling the interior. Thirty seconds into the third quarter, Ava Mikesell sank a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Lady Knights a lead they would never surrender. Cami Angi scored inside to push the lead to 5 points, and the Knights pulled away to an 8-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Titans got in foul trouble trying to contain Karri Gammon in the paint. Gammon got to the free throw line 12 times, eight of which came in the second half. Olivia Parham, who led the Titans in scoring, fouled out with 1:35 remaining in the game with her team trailing 50-43, and the Knights went on to win the game 52-46.
With the win, the Knights break the tie to take sole possession of first place in the Tri-Eastern Conference. They are the only team without a loss in league play.
Mikesell led the Knights with a game high of 17 points. Ady Kircher scored 13 points and Gammon scored 12 points. Parham scored 12 points to lead the Titans, Jillian Chew scored 11 points and Kenley Cornelius scored 10 points.
“This was a game between two good teams,” Northeastern head coach Cody Dudley said. “They had beaten us the last three times we played, and it is especially difficult to beat them on their floor. We made adjustments at halftime and our kids executed the game plan brilliantly. It was a total team win and I am proud of them.”
Northeastern (18-1, 4-0 TEC) 14 12 16 10 52
Mikesell 17, Brooklynne Adams 2, Amiyah Davis 0, Kircher 13, Ariel Shuler 0, Cami Angi 5, Jayden Hildebrand 0, Mackenzie Johnson 3, Gammon 12 — Total 52
Tri High (13-5, 5-1 TEC) 11 15 8 12 46
Cornelius 10, Chew 11, Parham 12, Jayce Corns 4, Nakaya Cridge 0, Soraya Cridge 4, Lia Bohn 3, Emma Mondrush 2 — Total 46
JV Results: Northeastern 31 (Zella Cook 12), Tri High 21 (Kayly Cline 11)
A version of this article will appear in the January 22 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.