FRANKLIN 3 PUTS AWAY COSSATOT

Lexi Franklin hit one shot all night Tuesday. It was the clincher in a 40-32 win over Cossatot River to remain unbeaten in Conference 3A-4 play.

The Lady Bearcats led 32-15 after a Leigh Swint basket with 2:12 to play in the third quarter but then went cold.

Scoreless to that point in the second half, the Lady Eagles heated up. A basket on the ensuing possession ended what was a 10-0 Lady Bearcat run and a 3 cut the Lady Bearcat lead to 32-20 through three quarters.

A Carah Miller bucket 31 seconds into the final quarter made it 34-20 but the only point the Lady Bearcats could muster from then until the 1:05 mark was a Karmen Kent free throw.

That point make it a seemingly comfortable 35-22 lead with 5:55 to play.

With 2:18 to play Cossatot was within 35-28.

It stayed that way until Franklin, who had left the game in Two Rivers last Tuesday in the first quarter then missed the Danville game Friday, finally got a shot to drop and make it 38-28.

Cossatot got a basket with 41 seconds to go but was forced to foul four times, finally sending Kent back to the free throw line with 23.1 seconds to go and she hit both ends of a one-and-one for a 40-30 lead.

The Lady Eagles scored the final points 10 seconds later.

With Swint, who would score 13 to lead the Bearcats, handing out three assists to Miller the Lady Bearcats jumped to a 9-3 lead six minutes into the game and it was 16-6 through a quarter.

After Cossatot got within 16-11 Miller, who finished with 11 points, would score again just over three minutes into the second quarter and the Lady Bearcats eventually led 22-11.

Cossatot cut it to 22-15 by halftime but the Lady Bearcats, behind five points each from Kent and Swint, pushed it to 32-15 with 2:12 left in the third quarter.

Kent finished with eight points, all in the second half, and also pulled down six rebounds, as did Swint and Franklin.

The Lady Bearcats will be at home again Friday facing Cedarville. Tipoff is at 6 and the game will be livestreamed on Click Here and Bearcats athletics app.