LASKER – Senior Ivey Little scored 13 of her game high 22 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch free throws with six seconds left to give the Northeast Academy Lady Eagles a 49-46 Tarheel Independent Conference victory over the Lady Raiders of Pungo Academy here Tuesday night.

The game was nick and tuck all night with neither team ever garnering more than a seven-point advantage.

The first quarter closed with the Lady Eagles holding a 10-8 lead on the strength of six points from sophomore Robyne Barnes.

Madison Burch scored the first bucket of the second quarter giving the Lady Eagles a four-point lead which was quickly overcome as the Lady Raider’s Alexandra Payne hit two quick scores to tie the game at12.

The Lady Eagles then ran off seven unanswered points on two baskets by Barnes, a hoop by Hannah Roye, and a free throw by Chelsea Rose to take their largest lead of the game 19-12 at the 2:51 mark.

The Lady Raiders then went on an 8-2 run to close out the half with Northeast holding a 21-20 advantage.

A basket by Courtney Armstrong opened the third quarter and gave the Lady Raiders their first lead of the game.

A free throw and basket by Little put the Lady Eagles back in front, but only briefly as Armstrong then hit a three-pointer to put the Lady Raiders back in front 27-25 at the 3:26 mark of the quarter.

Roye then made a free throw and basket followed by a Little basket giving the Lady Eagles the lead 30-27. The Lady Raiders closed out the period on an 8-1 run on a three by Courtney Armstrong and a basket and buzzer beating three pointer by Gibson Armstrong.

As the fourth quarter began the Lady Raiders held a 35-31 lead.

But Northeast’s senior guard took control of the game.  She scored the first points of the quarter hitting a pair of free throws. A field goal by Mollie Cocke tied the score at 35.

Following a free throw by the Lady Raiders, the Lady Eagles then went on an 8-2 run to take a 43-38 lead with 3:33 left in the game.

Pungo then went on a 8-4 spurt cutting the Northeast lead to one point with 14 seconds left.  Little was then fouled with six seconds to go and calmly stepped to the line and sank both free throws giving the Lady Eagles the TIC victory.

Pungo was led in scoring by Courtney Armstrong with 14 points. She was followed by Alexandra Payne with eight, Karissa Cahoon and Gibson Armstrong with seven each, Miranda Daughtery with six and Hannah Mutschler with four.

Leading the way for the Eagles was Ivey Little with 22, Robyne Barnes with 11, Hannah Roye with seven, Mollie Cocke with four, Chelsea Rose with three, and Madison Burch with two points.

The Lady Eagles will take their 2-1 conference record to Ahoskie on Friday where they will battle another conference foe, the Lady Rams of Ridgecroft.