CADIZ — Harrison Central came within a bucket late of picking up its first victory.

Down by as many as 11 in the fourth quarter, the Huskies made a spirited comeback on the strength of Maddie Sedgmer’s 10-point effort in the final eight minutes.

Turnovers and two big late free throws from St. Clairsville’s Kesslee Barrera finally did in the Huskies as they fell 47-44 to the visiting Red Devils.

Harrison head coach Chace Smith felt proud of his team’s late effort, but that didn’t make up for what he felt was a total lack of energy and enthusiasm in the first half.

That, more than anything, he knew cost his team its first victory.

“Our energy was off, it was horrendous, embarrassing,” Smith said. “I don’t know what it was, things can happen–turnovers, missed shots–but energy has to be from within and we didn’t have it.

“Our energy was what lost us the game. If we want to compete and win, we have to have energy and intensity for four quarters.”

St. C. picked up just its second win of the season, though this likely felt sweeter following a humbling road loss to Indian Creek on Thursday.

The Red Devils started slow, getting down 8-3 in the first, but didn’t panic. Once sophomore Anna Kain found the range from the perimeter, 3-pointers began raining down in the Cadiz gymnasium.

That allowed St. C. to finish the first quarter ahead 13-10 and 25-17 at the half. With nary a senior on the court and not a lot of varsity experience in the starting lineup, the Devils showed their age late when Sedgmer and company started chipping away at what appeared to be a sizable fourth-quarter lead.

“I sat there and told my assistant that this is a team that doesn’t know how to win,” St. C. head coach Stacey Agnew said. “We’re a young team, inexperienced, and that’s why it was so tight at the end. We missed some clutch foul shots. We’ve got to learn how to win, but games like this make you learn and they make you better.”

Kain and Barrera evenly split 38 points. Kain started off slow, missing her first five shots, but found the stroke late in the first en route to a four 3-pointer night. Barrera, to her credit, backed her with two triples and a couple clutch mid-range pull-ups.

Only a few Red Devils’ points came from within the paint. Barrera is the lone St. C. player with any height on a team full of guard-sized personnel. Harrison boasts multiple players at or flirting with 6-foot–no sense in attacking the paint.

“We told them, if you drive, either float it or stop and kick it out,” Agnew said. “For some reason, we can’t get any tall girls.”

That part also drew the ire of Smith early.

Barrera and Kain were alternating setting screens for one another at the top of the key and rolling off just enough for an open perimeter look.

Harrison knew what was coming, but the initial efforts in stopping it were far from enthusiastic in Smith’s estimation.

“You have to close out and know who the shooters are and we knew who their shooters were, but we lacklusterly closed out,” Smith said. “That’s about preparation and these young ladies have to know how to get ready for a game. Some of them have experience, some don’t.

“We responded in the second half, but it was too late with the way we played the first.”

Sedgmer totaled a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, backed by 12 and 7 from Danica Rensi.