It was a classic on Warrior Hill with Unaka coming out on top.
The Lady Rangers rallied and picked up a thrilling 72-70 overtime win over Hampton in the District 1-A Girls Consolation game after Lyndie Ramsey found Kiki Forney under the goal for a jumper as time expired.
Both Unaka and Hampton will travel for Friday’s Region 1-A quarterfinals.
The teams traded quick runs as Linsey Jenkins and Madi McClain drained 3-pointers for Hampton to open the scoring, but Lyndie Ramsey answered for the Lady Rangers with five quick points – including a layup off a steal to pull Unaka.
Hampton methodically added to the lead as a McClain 3-pointer gave the Lady Bulldogs a 16-8 lead with just under three minutes left in the quarter.
Tara Whitehead and Ramsey hit shots to close the gap, but Hampton ended the frame with a Pipper Helle bucket to take a 19-13 lead into the second quarter.
Hampton took control in the second as Maci Henry and Helle added two points apiece early to kick off a 9-2 run to open the frame. After Unaka broke the run with a Callie Hardin bucket, the teams traded points the rest of the quarter as Hampton held a 37-23 lead at the half.
Unaka, however, didn’t go away quietly.
Ramsey scored four straight to open the half before Hampton added a trio of free throws to hold a 40-27 lead.
The Lady Rangers reeled off the next eight points before Hampton’s Jenkins hit the first Lady Bulldog field goal of the quarter with just under two minutes to play in the frame.
After Macy Ensor hit a 3-pointer for the Lady Rangers, Hampton’s Taylor Berry ended the quarter with a 3-pointer of her own to send Hampton into the fourth with a 45-38 advantage.
Unaka kept the moment early in the fourth as Ramsey and Ensor combined for a quick 6-0 run to pull Unaka within two points.
The Lady Rangers took their first lead of the night with 4:49 left to play when Forney knocked down a trey, but the Lady Bulldogs answered with a Macy Henry jumper.
The teams traded free throws before Ensor scored five straight and Ramsey pushed the lead to 54-51.
Hampton, however, answered as Henry hit a 3-pointer with 1:21 left to even the score at 54-54.
Mailey Guy broke the stalemate with just over a minute to play with a jumper and Julie Simerly added a pair of free throws to push the lead to 58-54.
Jenkins answered with a huge basket with 24 seconds left and McClain hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, the teams traded shots and the lead the entire four minutes.
Ramsey pushed Unaka to a 70-68 lead with 48 seconds left, but McClain hit a shot with 25 seconds remaining to even things back up again setting up the frantic finish.
Ramsey finished with 38 points to lead Unaka, while Forney finished with 11 points.
McClain finished with 25 points to pace the Lady Bulldogs. Jenkins had 16 points, while Berry and Henry had 12 and 11 points, respectively.
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