MINT HILL, NC – The Independence Lady Patriots’ varsity basketball team had its season come to an end in the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state basketball tournament on Saturday evening. The number one-seeded team in the west region, the Lake Norman Lady Wildcats, eliminated the Lady Patriots by a score of 69-48 in a home win for the Lady Wildcats.

The Lady Patriots finished the season with a 25-4 record and were the Southwestern 4A Conference regular season champions going undefeated in conference play.  In the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state basketball tournament, Indy received a number eight seed.  Also this was the first Lady Patriots’ basketball team to go undefeated in conference play.

The Lady Patriots were led in scoring by Jessica Worthey with 18 points. Chloe Moss and Kamryn Kitchen both scored 7 points each. Lola Cabaniss-Ali had 6 points. Olivia Clark and Hannah Moss added 4 points each, and Maya Love finished with 2 points.

Lake Norman scored a quick 3-pointer to open the game and quickly moved out to a 12-2 advantage.  However, Indy’s Jessica Worthey and Kamryn Kitchen hit back-to-back 3-pointers to trim the lead to four points.But Lake Norman’s Kirsten Lewis-Williams’ 13 first-quarter points gave the Lady Wildcats a 25-14 lead.

At the end of the first half, the Lady Wildcats maintained their 11-point lead 36-25 as both teams scored only 11 second-half points.

In the second half, Lake Norman went on a 16-8 third-quarter run to go up by 19 points 52-33.  In the final stanza, the Lady Patriots got outscored 17-15 as the Lady Wildcats went on to take a 69-48 Sweet 16 victory over the Lady Patriots.

The win places the number one seed Lady Wildcats in the Elite Eight taking on the number 4 seed the North Mecklenburg Lady Vikings.

Independence   14  11    8   15  –  48

Lake Norman.   25  11  16   17. –  69