ROGERS -- Carl Junction leaned on points in the paint much of the night, but Dani Wrensch hit the Lady Bulldogs' only 3-pointer of the game to take the lead for good.
Missouri State commit Kate Scott, a 6-foot-2 junior, poured in a game-high 23 points, but Wrensch's 3-pointer swung the momentum in Carl Junction's favor en route to a 52-49 victory in nonconference girls basketball Tuesday night at War Eagle Arena.
Carl Junction, Mo. 53, Rogers Heritage 49
Carl Junction^10^12^14^17^—^53
Rogers Heritage^10^14^13^12^—^49
Carl Junction (5-2): Scott 23, Hughes 9, Wrensch 7, Winder 6, Shanks 4, Storm 4.
Rogers Heritage (2-5): Kinnamon 14, Lynge 12, Pabon 6, Frazier 6, Dickerson 5, Brooks 4, Knight 2.
Heritage coach Scott Moore said his team's unforced mistakes ultimately proved to be the difference in a close game.
"It wasn't great ball pressure," Moore said. "We just tried to throw over the top of taller players. It's something we focus on. We talk about bounce-passing. We didn't execute that. We know we need to hit a couple more shots, do our defensive rotations.
"We made a couple defensive adjustments and it worked a time or two, but we forget the third time and they score. It's got to be an every time thing. In these close ballgames, one or two plays makes the difference."
It was the third consecutive game Heritage played without starting point guard Pam Seiler, who suffered a sprained ankle in practice a week ago, Moore said. He said her status is day-to-day.
Heritage (2-5) led 24-22 at halftime and 37-36 entering the fourth quarter, but Carl Junction's 5-4 junior guard hit from the perimeter with 7 minutes, 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Scott then rebounded her own miss after a Heritage turnover and the Lady Bulldogs led 41-37 with a little more than a minute elapsed in the fourth quarter.
Sydney Kinnamon, who finished with a team-high 14 points and four 3-pointers, hit a 3-pointer for a 44-44 tie with 3:24 left. But Scott scored inside, and Wrensch got a steal and fed teammate Shila Winder for a layup and a 48-44 advantage with less than three minutes left.
Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said his team played more focused in the fourth quarter.
"One of our issues as of late is just a lack or urgency; I thought we did that better in the second half," Shorter said. "We made better decisions. Obviously we got Katie Scott inside -- we got her the ball."
Shorter has also told his players time and again that because Scott draws so much attention from the defense other players will be open.
Scott did find some open teammates in the second half for easy baskets.
"We've maybe done that for two quarters of the last six," Shorter said. "But when we get in the flow, we can move the defense and present yourself because eventually she's gonna get a double-team and maybe a triple."
Maddie Lynge added 12 for Heritage and also hit four 3-pointers, but all of her points came in the first half. The Lady War Eagles hit 10 3-pointers total. But the 6-2 Scott was Carl Junction's main offensive weapon as no other Lady Bulldog reached double figures.
Heritage will travel to Siloam Springs to take on the Lady Panthers on Thursday night.
Sports on 12/12/2018