BRIDGEPORT – A superior defensive effort led the Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Bucs to a 48-25 victory over the Bridgeport Indians Wednesday evening in the Class AAAA Section 2, Region 1 tournament opener.

The Lady Bucs held the Indians to just six field goals in the game and kept Bridgeport 21 points under their season average of 46 points per game as they gave the Indians fits with their extended 2-3 zone.

“The team executed the defensive plan perfectly,” remarked Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Rob Kittle. “We wanted to challenge every single shot of Gabby Reap and force someone else to beat us.”

The Lady Bucs did just that as Reap had four of the six Bridgeport field goals as they limited her to just 15 points. She was the only Bridgeport player with more than three points on the night.

“Reap is an excellent player, but I couldn’t be happier with our defensive performance,” noted Kittle.

The Lady Bucs never trailed in the contest as Kendal Currence opened the game with a three-pointer, and Kenna Maxwell followed with a lay-up to give B-U an early 5-0 lead.

Up 8-4, the Lady Bucs went on a 6-0 run behind baskets from Gabby Parke, Currence and Alyssa Abel for a 14-4 lead.

Buckhannon-Upshur took a 16-6 lead into the second quarter.

Parke opened the second quarter with a trey, and after a free throw by Reap, Maxwell knocked down two free throws, and Abel scored from underneath to give the Lady Bucs a 23-7 lead with 3:33 left in the half.

Bridgeport closed the quarter on an 8-2 run, making it a 25-15 contest at the intermission.

Reap started the third quarter with a pair of free throws, but the Lady Bucs countered with a 6-0 run getting two free throws from Currence and lay-ups from Abel and Maxwell for a 31-17 advantage with 4:46 left in the canto.

Up 31-20, B-U closed the quarter on an 8-0 run opening up a 19-point lead heading into the final quarter, at 39-20.

A 5-0 run to start the fourth quarter gave the Lady Bucs a 44-20 lead with 4:41 remaining.

A Hodge’Nay Henderson basket treated the Lady Bucs to a 48-22 lead, their biggest of the game before Bridgeport scored the final three points of the contest.

Maxwell was one of three Lady Bucs to reach double digits as she led the offense with 13 points, while Abel and Currence each added 11.

Bridgeport closed out their season with a 13-10 record, dropping seven of their final eight contests.

The win improved the Lady Bucs to 13-10 as they advance to the sectional championship with a road game at University Friday night. The Hawks downed Preston by a 65-26 score to advance on their side of the bracket Wednesday night.

University won the regular season match-up with the Lady Bucs by a 70-42 score back on Jan. 24. University will enter the game with a 15-7 record.

The game will tip at 7 p.m.

“If we can keep playing defense like we did against Bridgeport, I feel we will have a good shot of hosting a regional game,” concluded Kittle.