The Pike Liberal Arts School girl’s basketball team put on a string defensive showing at home on Tuesday night against Edgewood, bringing in a win 40-28.

The Patriots were only behind once in the game, following an opening goal by the Edgewood Wildcats to put them behind by two.

But once sophomore Carrley Barron put in two back-to-back scores to give the patriots a two point lead of their own, they never let up.

The Patriots controlled the tempo throughout the entire game, going into the half leading by 11 points.

Throughout the second half, the girl’s team kept the Wildcats at bay, stopping them offensively and kept the deficit at a safe distance to clinch the win.

Barron, who scored 16 points total, and fellow sophomore Marlee Tunstill led the girls with 15 of her own.

While the girls were celebrating their victory, the boy’s team allowed what looked like a locked in win to turn into a devastating 55-56 loss thanks to an Edgewood goal as the final buzzer sounded.

The boy’s team trailed throughout the first period, never being able to catch the Wildcats and ending the first 12-15.

Things took a turn in the Patriots favor at the start of the second however, when a three point shot by senior Stewart Pinkard and a two pointer by senior Tanner Free gave the Patriots the lead for the first time at 17-15.

The two teams then traded the lead three more times before the Patriots began to gain a foothold and retired to the locker room at the half leading 27-23.

Things stayed in the Patriots favor throughout the third, where they kept a tight grip on the lead and never letting the Wildcats get within more than two.

In the fourth and up by eight points it looked like a patriot victory was in sight, but a series of unanswered goals and multiple free throw opportunities for the Wildcats saw Patriots only up by one point.

Thanks to the efforts of sophomore Chandler Avant, who kept the Patriots on top by scoring five points, it looked like they would keep a step ahead.

But it wasn’t long before the score tied at 53-53 and the game turned into a series of lead exchanges that ended with the Wildcats snagging victory 55-56.

The last points in the game came from Pinkard, who hit two back-to-back free throws to put the patriots up by one before the final Wildcat goal handed them the loss.

The loss gives the Patriots a 3-9 season record and brings their losing streak up to three.

The Patriots will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 13, when they host Monroe Academy.