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A valiant effort came up short Monday for the Thorsby Rebels girls basketball team as the squad fell for the first time this season in a hard-fought contest, 34-28, to Gaston in Class 2A sub-regional play.

The Bulldogs jumped on the board first, opening up a 5-0 lead before the Rebels came charging back, as baskets by Sabrina Ellison and Keri Robinson cut the deficit to 5-4.

A free throw by Gaston’s Sydney Oliver put the Bulldogs back up by two, but a buzzer-beating basket by Robinson drew the Rebels even at 6-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Adison Argent kicked the second quarter off with a bang, stealing the ball and taking it the length of the court for a basket to give the Rebels their first lead of the night, 8-6.

The Bulldogs responded with an 8-0 run, before an Argent basket and free throw with 3:04 left in the half broke the streak and brought the score to 14-11.

As the contest wore on, the Bulldogs began to hold the ball when in possession, wearing down the clock and limiting the opportunities for the Rebels’ high-octane offense to score.

Lilly Barnett scored the final basket of the half for either team with 1:11 to go to bring the Rebels to within one point at the half, 14-13.

Gaston started the second half scoring of with a basket to open the third quarter, and was matched by a bucket by Argent.

The Bulldogs answered with a free throw, and Robinson answered with a two-pointer to tie the game at 17-17 with under three minutes left to play in the quarter.

A pair of Bullldog baskets ensued, followed by an Ellison two-pointer with 52 seconds left.
Gaston added one more basket before the quarter ended and was matched by another Ellison bucket to bring the score to 23-21 after three.

After a pair of missed free throws by Gaston, a basket by Sabrina Ellison tied the contest at 23-23 with 6:57 left in the fourth.

The combination of physical play and clock management again came into play, as the Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run to go up 29-23.

A pair of Argent free throws brought the Rebels to within four points with 3:47 left to go, but it was matched by another Gaston basket to bring the score to 31-25.

The Bulldogs began to hold the ball and wear down the clock, as the Rebels mustered a Barnett free throw and basket by Argent, but it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs came away with the 34-28 win.

Adison Argent led the Rebels with 11 points, while Sabrina Ellison had eight.

With the loss, the Rebels were eliminated from the postseason.