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Preps

Pirates' comeback not big enough

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Any fan leaving at halftime of Lecanto's 44-37 win against Crystal River would have missed a wild one.

The visiting Panthers jumped out to a 12-2 lead after one quarter and held a 29-10 halftime advantage. But Lecanto made just one field goal in the third quarter and Crystal River went on a 24-5 run. Setera Lockley's free throw pulled the Pirates within 35-34 with six minutes remaining. "The tables can turn that quick and it did," Lecanto coach Ron Allan said. "I've been involved in a game previously where we were down 17 at the half and won by 17. That's high school basketball. I give a lot of credit to Crystal River, their girls played hard and coach (Brent) Hall had them playing hard. We did just enough to win."

A bucket by Caroline Rodriguez and a 3-pointer by Kristen Dorn gave Lecanto a six-point lead, and Crystal River would come no closer than four the rest of the way. Mary Ann Emberley was 5-of-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth for the Panthers.

"We did some good things down the stretch," Allan said. "I thought our free-throw shooting was good, and that (3-pointer) was big."

Lecanto (1-3) spread the scoring, as eight players registered at least four points. Cortney Stewart led the Panthers with eight before fouling out, and Rodriguez had six. Emberley and Tara Haddock also scored six, all from the free-throw line.

"Like I told the kids, it doesn't matter who scores as long as we have more at the end," Allan said.

Crystal River's Hall said the Panthers made the plays at the crucial times and his Pirates did not.

"We had almost 40 turnovers again tonight and that was the difference in the game, and our inability to make free throws," said Hall, whose team was 4 for 10 from the line in the fourth. "There was a point in the game where a break or two here or there and we would have won the game."

Lockley, a freshman, led the Pirates (1-2) with eight points, all in the second half. Lone senior starter Casandra Vega had six before fouling out. Kellie McKinley added seven points and eight rebounds, and Ja'Vonna Grimsley had 5 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.

"They played their hearts out, it was great to watch them play like that," Hall said. "They play as hard as they can every night. We're just young and inexperienced and still trying to learn how to play." The teams combined to have five players foul out and for three technical fouls.

Crystal River plays at home Tuesday and Lecanto travels to Central tonight.

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