JASPER – Continuing the trend of previous games this season, Hamilton County’s third meeting with Lafayette was highly competitive, filled with momentum swings and capped off with a great finish.

Lafayette erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, but Hamilton held on for a 54-53 victory on Senior Night at HCHS on Tuesday.

HCHS (9-5) senior Monique Bryant made all four of her free throw attempts in the final minute to help the Trojans beat the Hornets for the second time in three tries this season.

“Clutch player, great leadership,” Hamilton coach Gregory Taylor said of Bryant. “She proved that tonight.”   

After getting shutout in the first half, Bryant scored 14 points in the second half. Her layup midway through the third quarter gave Hamilton its first lead of the game at 38-36. The Trojans finished the quarter strong, taking a 46-36 lead into the fourth.

Lafayette’s Jasmine Lewis answered quickly in the fourth quarter. After HCHS took its biggest lead, the Trojans tried to slow down and play keep away. That didn’t work. Lewis swiped two steals and got the Hornets back in the game by making seven free throws in the fourth quarter.  

“Hamilton went to a delay,” said LHS coach Jimmy Blankenship. “They’ve done that before. It’s hurt them. We finally found a little passion, made some steals and made some plays. They just made one more play than we did.”

Lewis finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds. She and junior Haley Ellefson (19 points, nine rebounds) did most of their damage near the basket. With Ellefson scoring in the post and Lewis driving to the basket, Lafayette took a big lead early. The Hornets led by nine in the first quarter and went ahead 23-15 in the second.

Alisha Lewis and Keandra Alford changed the momentum in the second quarter, guiding Hamilton to an 11-3 run to end the half. Lewis recorded 16 points. Alford had 13 points.

Lafayette had a chance to win at the end after Teyonnia Lewis picked up a steal with 10 seconds left, but the Hornets missed a bank shot in the final seconds. 

Both teams played with a limited bench. Each team brought eight players.

Lafayette won the first match-up of the season — a 50-47 home victory against HCHS on Dec. 6. The Trojans won 59-54 in double overtime on Dec. 20.  

Hamilton secured the No. 1 seed in the district playoffs with Tuesday’s win. They celebrated their only senior, Bryant, after the game.

Lafayette is now 11-7. The Hornets will face Madison County in the first round of the district playoffs on Jan. 31.