ETNA – The Etna Lady Lions varsity basketball team finished third at their round-robin Holiday tournament over the weekend.

Etna opened the tournament with a heart-breaking 72-69 overtime loss to the Mercy Lady Warriors. Brittney Potter hit a 3-ball for the Lady Lions to force overtime. Unfortunately for Etna, the Lady Lions couldn’t stop Lady Warrior Allison Wong, who exploded for 52 points in the game, and was eventually selected as tournament Co-MVP.

Lindsay Stacher put up 30 points for Etna. Annaleisa Nadig and Brittney Potter each had 10 points.

Etna rebounded with a pounding of Redding Christian in

the second game. With the game tied 6-6, The Lady Lions went on a 19-0 run to go up 25-6.

A bucket by Paige Finley gave Etna the lead 8-6. Nadig converted a dish from Tilly McBroom to make it 10-6, and Finley had a put-back just before the buzzer to end the first quarter with Etna up 12-6. Finley and Illima Adams owned the start of the second quarter for the Lady Lions, with one of the two having a hand in the first 13 points of the quarter. Nadig took control late in the quarter, scoring the last six points for Etna, including a bucket at the buzzer, giving the Lady Lions a 36-10 lead at the half. Etna went on to win easily 63-21.

Nadig, who scored the last 11 points of the game, led all scorers with 26 points, as well as grabbing 12 rebounds and recording seven swats. Finley had 23 points, 10 boards, and six steals. Adams pulled down 12 rebounds.

In the final game of the round-robin, Etna faced the Butte Valley Lady Bulldogs. Butte Valley had won earlier in the tournament against Mercy in overtime, and against Redding Christian. The game was closely contested until the final minutes.

Butte Valley led 16-8, when the Lady Lions went on a 10-0 run to take the lead 18-16. Nadig got the run started with six points in a row, including a put back to make it 16-14. Finley tied it, 16-16, by going coast-to-coast for a lay up. A Finley steal and basket put Etna up 18-16. The Lady Bulldogs tied the score at 18-18, but Nadig put the Lady Lions back on top 20-18, and then took a feed from Adams to make it 22-18 six seconds before the horn sounded to end the first quarter.

Butte Valley battled back to take the lead in the second quarter 24-22, and led at the half 36-34.

McBroom opened the second half scoring for the Lady Lions, tying the game at 36-36. The Lady Bulldogs regained the lead, but Tandy Thackeray dialed long distance to tie it up at 45-45. Potter hit a bucket with 35 seconds left in the third quarter to give Etna the lead 47-45.

After Butte Valley tied the contest at 47-47 at the start of the final frame, Thackeray hit her second 3-pointer, putting the Lady Lions up 50-47. However, that was the last lead that the Lions would enjoy, as the Lady Bulldogs outscored Etna 21-8 the rest of the way, to win 68-58.

Nadig led Etna with 20 points and nine boards. Trina Appler had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Adams and Thackeray each had eight points. Nadig and Finley were named All-Tourney.

Butte Valley was led by Sanna Jarvinen with 25 points. Bethany Holguin had 17, and Anna Makinen scored 11 points. Holguin was Co-MVP, and Jarvinen was All-Tourney.

Butte Valley was tourney champion. Mercy finished second, Etna third, and Redding Christian fourth.

The Lady Lions are now 3-7 and will next see action when they host Tulelake (3-8) on Tuesday, January 6.