HAPPY CAMP – It wasn’t the Happy Camp Lady Indians most inspired effort of the season, but they managed to defeat the Redding Christian Lady Lions on Wednesday, 43-34. Fifth-seeded Happy Camp improved its season record to 11-2, and will travel to five-seed Herlong (17-5) on Friday night.

The Lady Indians started well enough, jumping to a 6-0 lead on put-backs by Ashley Goodwin and Aja Conrad, as well as a hoop from Kelsea McLeran. Redding Christian didn’t score until almost the midway point in the first quarter on a pair of freebies that made the score 6-2.

Savannah Britton put the Lady Indians back up by six points on a put-back. An old fashion 3-point play by the Lady Lions made it 8-5, buckets by Amy Wyckoff and Conrad gave Happy Camp a 12-5 lead after the first quarter.

Redding Christian opened the second quarter scoring with a hoop, but Carly Hammon answered for the Indians with a trey, to make the score 15-7. Later in the quarter, Conrad drove the lane to increase Happy Camp’s lead to nine points, 18-9.

For much of the first half, Happy Camp seemed to be on the verge of blowing the game open, but couldn’t quite get there. Then, Redding Christian started to gain the edge. Apparently, someone forgot to tell the 12-seed that they were supposed to roll over and give up. By halftime, the Lady Lions had closed the gap to four points, 20-16.

Redding Christian scored the first six points to gain a 22-20 lead two minutes into the third quarter. Happy Camp tied it 22-22, when McLeran dropped a dime to Conrad, who converted. Two more hoops by Conrad, put the Lady Indians up by four points, 26-22.

With Happy Camp leading 27-24, Conrad put back a rebound to make it 29-24 with 1:40 left in the third quarter. The Lady Indians upped their advantage to 31-24, when Hammon connected with McLeran for a fast break bucket, to make the score 31-24. Redding Christian, however, scored the next two baskets, to leave Happy Camp leading 31-28 going into the final frame.

Conrad drove the lane and dished to McLeran for a bucket to open up the fourth quarter scoring. Then, Conrad took another drive through the lane for a hoop of her own, upping Happy Camps’ lead to seven points, 35-28.

Redding Christian narrowed the gap to five points, 37-32 with 3:38 on the clock, but would get no closer, as the Lady Indians closed out the game on a pair of buckets from Britton and a put back by Conrad, giving Happy Camp a 43-34 victory.

Aja Conrad, who played over half the game with a cut and bandaged hand, led all scorers with 20 points. Kelsea McLeran put up nine points, and Savanah Britton added six.

Rachel Rhyne led Redding Christian with 11 points.