Buckhorn kept things interesting on Friday during the final day of the Chain Rock Classic. The Lady Wildcats refused to fade into the background and used their three-point shooting to stay in the game until the final buzzer.

Pineville was finally able to distance themselves from Buckhorn down the stretch going 7-for-10 from the free-throw line in the final three minutes to edge the Lady Wildcats 52-42.

The Lady Lions were unable to grab a double-digit lead until the final seconds of the game. Each time Pineville came close pulling away Buckhorn would rally to narrow the gap.

Jill Enix paced the Lady Lions finishing the night with a team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds. She also had two assists.

Whitney Caldwell chipped in 14 points while knocking down four of her seven three-point attempts. Makenzie Fuson was two points and three rebounds shy of reaching her first double-double of the year after scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds.

Sarah Combs put together an all-around performance from the point registering seven points, one assist, four rebounds and a team-high three steals.

Ally Lopez and Kenzie Herald led Buckhorn combing for 27 points. Lopez finished with a game-high 17 points, while Herald tallied 10 points on the night.

Pineville never led by more than four points in the first quarter. The Lady Lions opened the game with a 3-pointer from Caldwell and a free throw from King to grab a 4-0 lead.

Herald quickly cut the lead to one, 4-3, with a 3-pointer. After a Fuson two, Lopez hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 6-6. The Lady Wildcats took their first lead of the night with 4:54 remaining after a Herald free throw brought the score to 7-6 in their favor.

Pineville went on a short 5-0 run behind back-to-back baskets from Caldwell to increase the lead to 11-7. Buckhorn responded with a Lopez 3-pointer to cut the lead to 11-10.

Herald scored a basket to put the Lady Wildcats back ahead 12-11. Baskets from Enix and Caldwell returned the lead to the Lady Lions and gave them a 16-12 lead at the end of one.

The two teams battled to a close second quarter with Pineville edging the Lady Wildcats 7-6. The Lady Lions took a 23-18 lead into halftime.

Lopez started the second half off with her third 3-pointer of the game to narrow the deficit to 23-21. Fuson created separation with a layup and a pair of free throws that gave Pineville a six-point lead, 27-21, with 4:56 remaining in the third.

Following a Buckhorn basket, the Lady Lions were able to extend their lead to seven, 30-23, after a Fuson jumper and an Enix free throw. Five straight points for Enix with just over a minute to play gave Pineville a nine-point lead, 35-26.

The Lady Lions held a 37-29 advantage at the end of the third.

Pineville outscored the Lady Wildcats 15-13 in the final quarter to claim a 10-point victory and earn the three-game sweep at the Chain Rock Classic.

Up Next

Pineville (10-2) returns to action at 6 p.m. on Tuesday when they host Bell County (7-6).

Buckhorn (3-10) travels to Cordia (0-7) on Friday.

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Pineville 52, Buckhorn 42

PINEVILLE (10-2)

Sarah Combs 1 4-4 7, Jill Enix 5 4-8 16, Raigan King 1 3-6 5, Makenzie Fuson 3 2-2 8, Whitney Caldwell 5 0-0 14, Madison Ford 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 13-20 52.

BUCKHORN (3-10)

Rebecca Lopez 1 0-1 2, Kelli Estes 3 0-0 9, Ally Lopez 5 3-3 17, Abbi Griffith 1 0-2 2, Kenzi Herald 4 1-2 10, Lib McIntosh 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 4-8 42.

Pineville 16 7 14 15 — 52

Buckhorn 12 6 11 13 — 42

3-point goals: Pineville 7 (Caldwell 4, Enix 2, Combs 1), Buckhorn 8 (Lopez 4, Estes 3, Herald 1).

Reach Anthony Cloud at 606-302-9090 or on Twitter @AnthonyCloudMDN