BOONE — Ranked 12th in Class 4A, host Boone had to hold on to turn back the Perry girls, who nearly overcame a 12-point deficit with three minutes left in the fourth quarter Saturday in a rescheduled Raccoon River Conference tilt.
The Toreadors (14-4, 9-1) did just enough down the stretch to avoid the upset, hanging on for a 51-48 win against a Jayette squad that also had to fight back from a 23-9 second-quarter deficit to enter the half trailing only 25-17.
Perry (11-5, 5-4) drained nine 3-pointers to stay within range. Trailing 33-27 when the fourth quarter started, the Jayettes found themselves facing a 47-35 gap with three minutes remaining in regulation. Perry scored 10 of the next 11 points to come within 48-45 with 60 seconds left but were unable to finish to rally.
The officials — as is often the case in Saturday make-up games — kept the whistles at a minimum. Perry was whistled for 13 fouls and Boone for just seven. The hosts were 4-of-7 at the foul line and the guests 1-of-2 in the contest.
Jo Diw’s 18 points led Perry, with Grace Marburger adding 12 while Grace Stewart’s eight points all came in the second half and helped spur the final Perry run. Five points apiece from Emma Olejniczak and Molly Lutmer closed the scoring.
Diw sank three 3-pointers, Marburger and Stewart each landed two triples, and Olejniczak and Lutmer one each.
Claire Sandvig had 19 points and Madlyn Danner 18 for Boone. Laura Anderson added six points, Emma Rouse four and Lauren Calkins and Caitlyn Shadle two apiece.
Perry travels to Winterset Tuesday before entertaining Ballard Friday.
