The Forestburg Lady Horns hosted Saint Jo on Tuesday in a rivalry game.
The Lady Horns won their first game of the season in a low-scoring hard fought game 19-15, pulling away in the final minute.
Forestburg comes into most games featuring one big advantage in post player Morgan Miller. Unfortunately, every team has known that and has done their best to take her away. The Lady Panthers were no different.
Most teams have pressed the Lady Horns to prevent them from setting up their half court offense and getting Miller the ball in the post. The young Forestburg team has struggled breaking presses and traps this season.
In the first game, Saint Jo played a half-court trap that allowed the Lady Panthers to build a big lead in the first quarter. Even with the Lady Horns playing better the rest of the game, they do not have the quick scoring ability to make up many double-digit leads.
This time Forestburg was ready for the half-court trap. Still, with Saint Jo draping two girls on Miller at all times, getting the ball to her was risky.
The Lady Panthers knew attacking the basket was not much of an option. Foul calls were rare for both sides, with girls falling to the floor not guaranteeing a call. Mid-range shots from Emma Martin and some knock down perimeter shots from freshman Kate Sherwin allowed Saint Jo to hold a narrow 7-6 lead after the first quarter. Little did both teams know that would be the highest scoring quarter of the game.
Forestburg’s zone defense did a good job of taking away most of space inside the 3-point arc. Active hands prevented easy passes to Martin in the high post area the Lady Panthers wanted to get her the ball.
Even trying to pass the ball along the perimeter was tricky as the Lady Horns started jumping lazy passes. Unfortunately for them, as many steals they racked up, Forestburg struggled to convert these transition opportunities into points.
Saint Jo did not score in the second quarter while Miller’s two baskets put the Lady Horns up 10-7 at halftime.
In the third quarter the Lady Panthers retook the lead. Sherwin made two mid-range shots on back-to-back possessions. Saint Jo then got out in transition and Martin was able to finish a basket. Combined with an earlier basket she made in the quarter, the Lady Panther’s led 15-10.
Forestburg struggled to get Miller the ball in the quarter. The Lady Horns lead ball handler Athena Britain sat for a bit and the team kept trying to take and make the open 3-pointers available to them to no avail.
The only points in the quarter from Forestburg came from defensive dynamo Keeleigh Burnam, who banked in a 3-pointer in the final two minutes to cut the lead to 15-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
Both teams struggled to score for most of the quarter. The open shots from the perimeter were not going in for the Lady Horns while Saint Jo kept turning the ball over.
The Lady Panthers tried to stall with less than four minutes to go, but to no avail. With 2:26 left in the game, Forestburg got the ball to Miller who finished through contact to tie the game while also picking up the foul.
The score was tied at 15-15 and the free throw would give the Lady Horns the lead. A Forestburg player grabbed the offensive rebound and was sent to the free throw line for another chance to take the lead. She missed both.
A minute later a Saint Jo player stole the ball and was fouled in transition, giving the Lady Panthers a chance to take the lead. She missed both.
On Forestburg’s next possession, a looping high pass to Morgan found its mark and she scored to give the Lady Horns the lead 17-15 with 56 seconds left. After a turnover from Saint Jo, Forestburg had the ball out of bounds at midcourt with 46 seconds left.
An aggressive pass up the court to Sol Martinez found its mark as she beat her defender to the basket and made the layup. The basket put the Lady Horns up two scores 19-15, essentially icing the game. Forestburg would hang on to win.
Forestburg next hosts Prairie Valley at 6 p.m. on Feb. 4. Saint Jo hosts Gold-Burg at 6 p.m. on Feb. 4.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.