HAPPY CAMP – The number-two Happy Camp Lady Indians defeated the third-seeded Bishop Quinn Lions 46-38 to advance to the NSCIF D-VI championship game versus number-four Greenville (16-11) this Saturday at Chico State. The game is scheduled for 11:00 am.

It took over 2:30 for either of the teams to score at the opening of the game. Bishop Quinn went up 2-0 at the 5:27 mark. Then, Kelsea McLeran put back a rebound for the Lady Indians, and Cassidy Hammon nailed a 3-ball to start Happy Camp on an 11-1 run. Happy Camp led 11-3 with 1:22 left in the quarter. Bishop Quinn broke the run with a hoop just before the end of the first half.

The Lady Lions chipped away at Happy Camp’s lead until they narrowed the gap to 12-9 late in the half. The Lady Indians were unable to notch a field goal for over eight minutes until Hammon made a basket with 1:13 left before intermission to make it 14-9. Happy Camp led 16-12 at the half.

McLeran put the Lady Indians up 18-12 at the start of the third quarter, but Bishop Quinn came back to with in two points at 18-16 before a McLeran freebie and a Cassidy Hammon 3-pointer pushed the Lady Indians lead back up to six at 22-16 with 5: 40 left.

Another put back by McLeran and a Carly Hammon 3-ball made it 27-18 and seemed to give control of the game to the Lady Indians.

The rest of the quarter was the Aja Conrad and Cassidy Hammon show. With about 2:00 to go, Hammon in-bounded the ball to Conrad who then hit Hammon on a fly pattern to the hoop for an easy lay up to make it 30-22. Another long range bomb by Hammon and a bucket by Conrad made it 35-22. The Lady Indians were up 36-23 going into the final frame.

Hammon and Conrad connected again in the fourth quarter, when Hammon hit Conrad with a long press-breaking pass that resulted in a lay up plus one for a 3-point play by Conrad. The next time Conrad touched the ball, she made a sweet crossover move near the top of the key and drove the lane for a lay up to make it 46-33.

Bishop Quinn would narrow the margin to eight points, but the Lady Indians secured the win 46-38. Leading the Lady Indians with her second straight playoff double-double was Aja Conrad with 12 points and 20 boards. Cassidy Hammon had 16 points, including four 3-pointers, and four steals. Kelsea McLeran had 8 points and 9 boards.