Saturday, Nov. 28 was opening day for all of the local junior high basketball squads and on the new hardwood at North Adams High School, it was an eighth grade girls match up as the host Lady Devils welcomed county rival Peebles to town. The North Adams girls were all eighth graders but the Lady Indians only field one junior high girls team this season, a combined group of seventh and eighth graders.
Baskets and points were tough to come by in this season opener for both sides as the usual first game jitters led to numerous turnovers and missed shots. In the end, it was the visiting Lady Indians who came out on top, pulling out an 18-15 victory.
Peebles led after the first quarter 6-4, behind the offense of Tatum Arey, who hit one from inside the arc and one from outside for five points with a Hope Brown free throw making the total of six. North Adams got first quarter buckets from Carolyn Shupert and Alaina Eiterman.
The second quarter of action was not an offensive clinic for either side, as the two combined for a grand total of four points, Peebles getting two free throws from Madison Beekman and North Adams getting a basket from Mary Sonner. At the intermission, the Lady Indians held a slim 8-6 advantage.
The host Lady Devils rallied in the third stanza, getting a basket from Breanna Piatt and a three-point play from Eiterman. Peebles got three points from Harlee Wilkinson and the two teams headed into the final quarter deadlocked at 11 apiece.
It was Arey again providing an offensive spark in the final period for the Lady Indians, scoring two baskets, while teammate Lilly Gray added a bucket and a free throw. The Lady Devils got a three-point play from Kaitlyn Shreffler and a Shupert free throw but the game came down to one final possession.
Trailing by three, the Lady Devils needed a trey to tie, but the three-point try by Shupert was partially blocked. allowing the Lady Indians to escape with the 18-15 win.
Tatum Arey topped the winners with 9 points, while Alaina Eiterman topped North Adams with 5.
Peebles will be back in action on Thursday, Dec. 3 when they host West Union at 5 p.m. in the first game of a triple header that will be followed by JV and Varsity contests. The Lady Devils will be back on the court on Dec. 2 when they travel to Lucasville Valley.
PJH 6 2 3 7 —18
NAJH 4 2 5 4 —15
PJH (18): Stone o 0-1 0, Beekman 0 2-4 2, Wilkinson 1 1-3 3, Arey 4 0-0 9, Gray 1 1-2 3, Brown 0 1-2 1, Team 6 5-12 18.
NAJH (15): Sonner 1 0-0 2, Shreffler 1 1-1 3, Piatt 1 0-0 2, Shupert 1 1-2 3, Eiterman 2 1-3 5, Team 6 3-5 15.
Three-Point Goals: PJH- Arey 1
