AHOSKIE – Defense.

Ridgecroft School girls basketball coach Susan Oliver says she stressed that to her team coming off a pair of early-season losses and Tuesday night it worked.

It worked so well the Lady Rams broke their two-game losing streak and took a 55-26 win over Faith Christian School on their home floor in Revelle Gymtorium.

Faith scored four seconds into the game off the opening tip-off to lead, 2-0, and didn’t score again until 4:53 of the second quarter when they trailed 22-4.

It never got better for the Lady Patriots.

Hennie Larabee led the Ridgecroft scoring with 16 points including 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Miller Bryant chipped in with 15. Mary-joe Harrell had nine on three three-pointers.

Carnie Lewis had a dozen to lead Faith Christian.

“We came back off the break and we wanted to come back strong,” said Oliver. “Tonight we came out, the girls were ready to play, we ran the floor and we played Ridgecroft’s game.”

Bryant became the “zone-buster” for the Lady Rams, nailing a pair of three-point field goals to open the first quarter. Larabee, meanwhile, scored on a baseline layup and a short jumper and dropped a pair of foul shots.

Lauren Colson’s shot finished out the first quarter scoring and Ridgecroft led it 16-2.

The Lady Rams rang up six more points to open the second quarter before Faith ended their drought when Lewis followed up a missed layup in the paint; but the Lady Pats were down by 18.

Harrell shot over the Faith defense and rang up a pair of three-pointers and Bryant continued her torrid pace.  Larabee got a field goal and a pair of free throws.

All this scoring was part of an 18-point eight minutes and helped the Lady Rams to a 34-6 lead at halftime.

With such a comfortable lead to begin the second half Ridgecroft put it on cruise control and the game was more balanced.

Faith attacked the boards much better with their offensive and defensive rebounding and it paid off as they finally cracked double-figures.

Floor play was much cleaner and quieter as only four fouls were whistled for the entire quarter.  Ridgecroft won the scoring, however, putting up 11 points to 10 for the visitors.

Each team scored 10 points apiece in the fourth quarter as the Lady Rams closed out the 29-point win; easing some of the sting of their two straight losses to Bethel Christian.

“The girls really ran the floor,” said a smiling Oliver. “They played defense with their feet, we were able to control ourselves, stay out of foul trouble and we got them in foul trouble early.”

Ridgecroft raises its record to 3-2. Their Friday game with Halifax Academy has been cancelled, so the next time they take the floor will be Tuesday night against Pungo Christian Academy.