Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SEAMAN — Murphy’s Law even affected Kaleigh Murphy.

Murphy’s Law says anything that can go wrong will go wrong and it did in the fourth quarter as the Coal Grove Lady Hornets fell to the North Adams Lady Green Devils 40-32 in the Division 3 sectional finals on Monday.

The Lady Hornets were plagued by turnovers and cold shooting in the second half and especially the pivotal fourth quarter.

“We had a lot of late turnovers and we only scored three points in the fourth quarter,” said Lady Hornets’ coach Nick Miller. “We had the lead early and we were up one at the half. We played well for three quarters and then nothing seemed to go right.”

Coal Grove shot just 13-of-40 from the field for 32.5 percent. North Adams was only 12-of-52 for 23.1 percent but converted 15-of-24 free throws while Coal Grove was only 2-of-5 at the line.

Abbey Hicks scored 13 points for Coal Grove but the team’s leading scorer Murphy had only 4 points and fouled out.

Coal Grove (16-8) was up as many as 9 points and led 11-5 after the first quarter as Kelsey Fraley hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points.

North Adams (18-5) rallied in the second quarter by making 8-of-11 free throws with Keetyn Hupp scored 5 points in the quarter.

Fraley had another trey in the quarter and Elli Holmes and Murphy each addd a basket and Coal Grove was clinging to a 29-28 lead going into the locker room.

Hicks scored 8 points including a 3-pointer just before the end of the third quarter that gave Coal Grove a 29-28 lead.

Laney Ruckel and Harlee Brand had 4 points each for the Lady Green Devils.

But in the fourth quarter, North Adams scored 8 unanswered points to lead 37-29 before Hicks knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 37-32 with under two minutes to play.

Ruckel was 1-for-2 and Hupp 2-for-2 from the line to seal the win.

Hupp had 16 points for North Adams.

Coal Grove 11 7 11 3 = 32

North Adams 5 12 11 12 = 40

COAL GROVE (16-8): Kelsey Fraley 1 2 1-2 9, Elli Holmes 1 0 0-0 2, Kinsey Keeney 0 0 0-0 0, Alivia Noel 0 0 0-2 0, Kaleigh Murphy 2 0 0-0 4, Abbey Hicks 3 2 1-1 13, Rylee Harmon 1 0 0-0 2, Kenadee Keaton 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 13-40 2-5 2. 3-pt goals: 4. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Murphy (4th 2:42).

NORTH ADAMS (18-5): Morgan Shupert 0 0 0-0 0, Sierra Kendall 3 0 1-2 7, Ainsley Grooms 0 0 0-0 0, Keetyn Hupp 2 1 9-12 16, Laney Ruckel 2 0 4-6 8, Harlee Brand 2 0 1-2 5, Kenlie Jones 2 0 0-2 4, Lizzie Gill 0 0 0-0 0, Sydney Figgins 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-52 15-24 40. 3-pt goals: 1. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.