By By JEFF FISHER / Niles Daily Star
EDWARDSBURG - Visiting Buchanan held off a second half comeback from the Edwardsburg varsity basketball team to pick up a 39-35 Lakeland Conference victory.
The Lady Eddies were coming off an impressive 31-point victory against Constantine last week at home, however, the Bucks proved to be stronger at the end, and came away with the road victory.
The Lady Bucks opened the game up with an early one-point lead, but the Eddies managed to tie it up.
The inside game of the Lady Buck's Hayley Cashier gave Buchanan an 11-4 lead with three minutes to go in the first, but the Eddies fought back with Kerri Wood's five first quarter points to narrow the Lady Bucks' lead to 18-10 after the first period.
Cashier scored 11 points in the quarter.
The Lady Bucks took a double-digit lead of 20-10 to begin the second stanza. The Eddies defense only allowed Buchanan four points in the quarter, while the Eddies only scored six points in return.
Buchanan took a 22-16 lead into the lockerroom.
The Lady Bucks raced out to a 27-18 lead to begin the third quarter. Buchanan's Emily Ross hit a three pointer as well as a jumper followed by Danielle Bachleda's four points to give the Lady Bucks a 31-24 lead with 37 seconds to go in the third.
Buchanan (3-4 overall, 2-1 LAC) took a 33-24 lead to end the third. They outscored the Lady Eddies 11-8.
Edwardsburg would begin its comeback to make it a Buchanan 33-28 lead halfway through the fourth quarter. The Eddies' Kristin Toney drained a three-pointer to narrow the Lady Bucks' lead to 35-33 with under a minute to go in the game.
Ross's two free throws with 18 seconds to play gave Buchanan a 38-34 lead and put the proverbial icing on the cake.
Cashier led the Lady Bucks with 14 points, Ross with 12, and Danielle Bachleda with 10 points.
Kristin Toney led the Eddies with 10 points, Kerri Wood and Chrissy Breisch each had seven points.
Buchanan will host Bridgman on Thursday.
In the game played earlier, the Eddies junior varsity team defeated the Lady Bucks 30-26.
Felicia Cox and Iesha Davie both had seven points to lead the Lady Bucks.