The Owls’ Nest was a cheerful place to be Friday as the Lady Owls put another tic in the win column and achieved a new milestone – two victories in a row with a non-conference victory over Cameron County, 51-33.

“Everyone contributed; it was a great team win. This is our first two-game win streak. The girls played extremely well. They worked at it, and they played as a team,” said Bob Hannon, Bradford (4-10) coach. “We got a little careless with the ball in the fourth quarter, but the girls have not had a lot of opportunity to protect a lead. I give them credit for that.”

Hannon noted that the entire team contributed to the win. Hannah Lary had 18 points, three assists and three rebounds, while finishing the night five of seven from the field. Erica Marshall added eight points but made her mark in other areas of the game with 11 rebounds and five assists.

“(Erica) only scored eight points, but she contributed in many other ways,” Hannon noted. “(Mackenzee) Maley scored seven points, and she gave us a big spark on a couple of big shots. (Morgan) Tyger had six rebounds, three blocks and six points, and she was two-for-two from the free throw line for us.

“Our two freshmen came out and scored. Mackenzie Swanson had a couple big rebounds and a couple big points for the team. Emily Warner had four points and four rebounds. That is a good thing to see. It is a positive thing for the team.”

The tip-off went to Bradford, but the first points of the game were snagged by Cameron County on free throws by Alyvia McKimm. The Lady Raiders got out to a 4-0 lead on a basket from Kaelee Bresslin, but Bradford quickly turned the tide with back-to-back scores from Mackenzee Maley and Hannah Lary. Lary also sank a free throw, and Bradford took the lead and never looked back. At the end of the first, the Lady Owls had built a 14-7 lead, capped by Marshall’s first three of the night at the buzzer.

The second quarter began with a two-minute seesaw and a lot of missed attempts. Bradford’s Lary sank a basket with 6:10 on the clock, immediately answered by two successful free throws from the Lady Raiders’ Laila Smith for a score of 16-9.

Scoring became a back-and-forth battle for the next two minutes, as Bradford sank baskets and Cameron County answered with free throws. With 1:50 to go in the half, Bradford’s Emily Warner snagged a rebound and put the ball up for two, making the score 23-13.

Cameron answered with a basket and two successful free throws, but the teams hit the locker rooms at the half with Bradford ahead 26-17.

The third quarter saw Bradford’s Maley sink a three at the 6:49 mark. Cameron County answered with a basket and shortly after, a foul, allowing Lary to sink one of two free throws to round out the Bradford 30-19. Bradford continued to control the ball, as Warner hit another two and Lary sank a three, leading to a six-point lead that Cameron County cut by two just seconds later, making the score 35-21. Another basket from Tyger increased Bradford’s lead to a six-point margin at 37-21, cut in half by a free throw and basket from Smith and Kamme Guisto, respectively. The scoreboard read 37-24, still in Bradford’s favor, as the clock wound down to zero.

Bradford used teamwork and recorded key baskets as they outscored Cameron County 14-9 in the final quarter, securing their second win in a row with a final of 51-33.

No one posted double figures for Cameron County, although Guisto and Smith each recorded seven points.

“We did a very good job of handling Hannah Lary in the first half. They took us out of our game,” said Dave Sullivan, Cameron County coach. “I have to credit Bradford for their defense. They did a nice job stopping us. We had to play catch-up, and that is not our game.”

Cameron County fell to 13-5 on the season.

Bradford returns to action Monday as they travel to DuBois Catholic.

AT BRADFORD

CAMERON COUNTY (33)

Hilfiger 2-2-4-6, Bresslin 2-2-3-6, Guisto 2-3-8-7, Smith 1-5-8-7, M.McKimm 2-1-2-5, A.McKimm 0-2-2-2. Totals: 9 15-27 33

BRADFORD (51)

Tyger 2-2-2-6, Maley 3-0-1-7, Marshall 2-2-2-8, Hannah Lary 5-6-8-18, Warner 2-0-0-4, Swanson 2-0-0-4, Cleveland 1-0-0-2, Close 1-0-0-2, Babcock 0-0-2-0. Totals: 17 10-13 51

Cameron Co.  7 17 24 33

Bradford 14  26 37  51

Three-point goals: CC – None, Bradford 5 (Maley 1, Marshall 2, Lary 2); Total fouls: CC  17, Bradford 16; fouled out: none

JV: Cameron County won 38-22