Chargers pull away from NBC in 4th quarter

Boerne Champion inched closer to a playoff spot Tuesday in girls basketball after the Lady Chargers used a strong fourth quarter to defeat visiting New Braunfels Canyon.

Champion held a 36-30 lead as the game went into the final stanza and from there the Lady Chargers outscored the Cougarettes, 20-7, to secure the 56-37 win.

Champion improves to 24-6 overall and 8-2 in district. The Lady Chargers hosted Kerrville Tivy on Friday in the battle for second place in 26-5A. Tivy is also 8-2 but Champion beat them in the first round of district.

Tuesday’s district contest with NBC turned into a free-throwing shooting contest as both teams went into the double bonus in the second half.

The teams shot a combined 39 free throws over the final two quarters, with Champion going to the line 19 times and the Cougarettes shooting 20 free throws.

There was some frustration with the officiating on the part of both coaches as the Canyon coach had a lengthy, animated discussion with the officials, while Champion coach Jason Sanders drew a technical, both in the second half. 

Champion, which didn’t shoot a free throw in the first half, went 14 for 20 at the line, to earn 14 of its 27 second-half points. 

Canyon struggled from the field in the second half and only made three buckets over the final two quarters, a pair of 2s and a 3-pointer. The rest of their 8 points came at the line. 

NBC really bogged down in the fourth quarter and only scored 7 points. They hit a 2-point bucket and their remaining 5 points came at the line and that was the difference in the game as the Chargers pulled away with its foul shooting.

The 20 points Champion scored in the fourth period was its best quarter of the night. They did have 19 in the second to outscore Canyon, 19-14, and take a 29-22 lead into halftime.

The 14 points NBC scored in the second was the only time they hit in double digits.

For the Chargers, Adriana Barreiro hit for 2, Christine McGinn made a free throw, Hudson Lonsdale finished with 13 points, Madyson Marquard netted 10, Addison Hankins tallied 8, including an acrobatic reverse layup in the fourth quarter off a missed free throw, Olivia Keilman recorded 7 points, Bralyn Gault made two free throws and Grace Erbstoesser chipped in with 11 points and scored 9 in the second half.