By Brad Greer

When the North Delta Lady Green Wave looks back at some of the close losses this season, Wednesday’s 53-50 overtime loss to Hernando in the Magnolia Heights Classic might have been the toughest.

Bradi Beard nailed a three pointer with 10 seconds remaining in regulation  to send the game into overtime. Hernando then hit five-of-six free throws down the stretch to outscore North Delta 9-6 in the extra period.

Lucy Bierman’s short jumper gave Hernando a 52-50 lead with 14 seconds left to play. India Overstreet later hit one of two free throws that proved to be the game winner.

Hastings Neal’s three pointer gave North Delta (12-7) a 47-46 lead with 1:48 left to play. Hernando regained the lead at 50-49 on Aaliyaha Thornton’s putback of her own miss. Callie Blake Masterson hit the front end of a one-and-one free throw to knot the game at 50-50 with 28 seconds left.

North Delta led 33-30 after three quarters of play before the Tigers went  on an 8-0 run to take a 38-33 lead in the fourth period. Laci Dubravec canned a three pointer to trim the Hernando lead to 40-37 at the 1:24 mark.

After a Tiger turnover, Beard tied the game at 40-40 with a three pointer. Overstreet’s steal and layup gave Hernando a 42-40 advantage with less than a minute to play in the fourth.

The Green Wave jumped out to an early 8-1 on a pair of three pointers by Beard and Dubravec. Hernando responded with an 8-1 run of their own to tie the game at 9-9 at the end one quarter.

Beard led the Lady Waves in scoring with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Dubravec added 15 points, four steals and three assists.

Neal chipped in with seven points and four rebounds while Masterson and Charla Darby registered three points each. Hannah Waldrip and Katelyn Still rounded out the scoring with one point each.

Hernando, (6-6) which had lost its last three games by a combined eight points, was led by Arica Wallace’s 18 points.

In the boys bracket, Starkville kept North Delta winless on the season with a 42-32 victory.

Starkville jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the second quarter before the Green Wave scored their first points on a Tyler Lee bucket with 4:05 remaining in the second quarter. The Volunteers took an 18-6 lead at intermission.

Carnail Minor, who led Starkville with 18 points, drained the first of his four second half three pointers to give the Vols a 23-8 cushion midway through the third. Minor later connected on another trey to end the quarter as Starkville extended their lead to 30-13 heading into the final stanza.

North Delta, (0-9) battled their way back into the game in the fourth period on three pointers by Tyler Beard and Luke Williams to cut the Vol lead to nine points.

That would be as close as the Wave would get as Minor rattled home a three pointer and Jon Michael Robinson added back-to-back baskets in the last two minutes of the contest.

Sam Copeland led the Green Wave with eight points while Williams followed with seven. Jonathan Mackey added five and Lee chipped in with four. Colby Pirtle and Hunt Howell registered two points.

North Delta closed out the tournament Friday and will travel to Desoto Ark today for five games starting a 3:30. The Green Wave will take part in the Kirk tournament Thursday through Saturday in Grenada.