Sky Holmes’ Buzzer-Beating Putback Lifts Pine Tree to 27-25 Win at Whitehouse

WHITEHOUSE -- Whitehouse struggled to match Pine Tree on the boards all night Tuesday, and that finally caught up with the LadyCats at the worst time.

Pine Tree's Sky Holmes banked in a short-range putback at the buzzer for a 27-25 victory at Wildcat Arena to cap a double-double night for the 6-foot-1 sophomore standout.

Pine Tree (9-4) outrebounded Whitehouse 30-17. Holmes' game-winner was PT's third shot attempt of the final possession.

"I didn't think our defense was bad. I thought we did a pretty good job defensively and blocking out," said Pine Tree coach Robin Herber. "We just had a hard time handling the pressure, which we have to do better."

Pine Tree is without senior point guard Abby Mitchell, who is out with a knee injury. The Lady Pirates are starting only two seniors.

Holmes had game highs with 12 points and 13 rebounds, along with two blocks and two steals. Pine Tree erased a 25-22 deficit with 4:58 remaining to get the win.

That almost five-minute drought was Whitehouse's second lengthy scoreless period of the game. The LadyCats (6-6) saw a 19-14 third-quarter lead evaporate during a drought of 6:16, which allowed Pine Tree to take a 20-19 advantage on Dee Patterson's putback less than a minute into the fourth quarter.

The lead changed three more times during the next two minutes. Whitehouse's Brooke Stewart gave the LadyCats a 23-22 edge off an Ashton Ates assist with 5:26 to play, then returned the favor 28 seconds later as Ates pushed Whitehouse's lead to 25-22.

Patterson scored inside to cut the lead to one with 3:25 left, and McKaylla Baylor split a pair of free throws to tie the game with 2:38 remaining. Whitehouse missed two free throws with 2:05 left, and the teams stayed off the scoreboard until Holmes' game-winner.

Guard Morgan Tauscher led Whitehouse with eight points, while Ates, a post, had a solid game with six points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Patterson had six points, and Baylor had five points and six boards.

Whitehouse missed 8 of 9 free-throw attempts to leave the door open for Pine Tree.

Holmes' post-up bucket with 1:10 left in the first quarter helped Pine Tree to a 10-8 lead the Lady Pirates held for the following four minutes. The teams played to two lead changes and one tie in the second quarter. Holmes' bank shot with 46 seconds left in the half allowed PT to hold the lead, 14-13, at the break.

Pine Tree went more than 5 1/2 minutes without scoring to allow Whitehouse to take its 19-14 lead with 5:32 left in the third quarter. Tauscher scored twice during the 7-0 run. Pine Tree cut Whitehouse's lead to 19-18 entering the fourth thanks to two Holmes buckets in the final 3:07 of the third.

Pine Tree plays at Nacogdoches at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Whitehouse visits Pleasant Grove.

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Girls Basketball
Non-District

Pine Tree 27, Whitehouse 25

Wildcat Arena, Whitehouse

Pine Tree -- 10 4 4 9 -- 27
Whitehouse -- 8 5 6 6 -- 25

Pine Tree (9-4) -- Sky Holmes 12, Dee Patterson 6, McKaylla Baylor 5, Sheondra Crayton 4.
Whitehouse (6-6) -- Morgan Tauscher 8, Ashton Ates 6, Brooke Stewart 4, Kenslie Dews 3, Suvannah Melton 2, Victoria Taylor 2.