The California Pintos defeated the Osage Indians 69-59 on Jan. 5 to win the Tri-County Conference Tournament.
The game started off on the right foot for the Pintos, as they started with a 9-0 run and forced Osage to use a time out. After the timeout, Osage came roaring back with a 16-5 run, but California rebounded and took an 18-16 lead at the end of the first quarter, after Osage hit a buzzer-beater at the end of the quarter.
At halftime, the Pintos led 38-31, thanks in part to an 8-3 run. The team had three blocks in the game, two of which where in the first half.
Osage kept the game close, as they hit their second buzzer-beater of the game at the end of the third quarter to make it 60-52
In the second half, California led by as much as 14 points and the 3-pointer played a big role, as the team hit nine 3-pointers in the game. The team also shot 8-13 from the free throw line in the game.
California pulled away in the fourth quarter, as they built the lead up to double digits.
Elizabeth Lutz led the way for the Lady Pintos with 18 points. Brittney Ellington tallied 16 points and hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the second quarter. Paige Lamm added 11 points, while Gracie George and Makayla Schanzmeyer both had seven points apiece.
The Pintos entered the tournament as the top seed and went 3-0, defeating Versailles 80-17 in the first round and Southern Boone 57-37 in the recond round. The team is now 11-2 on the season.
The team's next games are during the tournament at California from Jan. 9- 13. The Pintos hold the top seed in the tournament.