CRESTVIEW — There was nothing pretty about Tuesday’s District 1-7A girls basketball game between Crestview High School and Fort Walton Beach.
Both teams struggled from the free throw line. And the Bulldogs struggled from the field as well missing 18 layups and going more than eight minutes without a field goal between the third and fourth quarters.
In the end Crestview was able to gut out an important district win 52-41.
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach girls basketball photos>>>
“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” Bulldog coach Kathy Combest said. “We can’t make our layups. But we were a little quicker rebounding and that was the key.
“That makes us 3-1 in district and we are second (to Niceville) as we get ready to go into the Christmas tournament.”
Crestview might not have dominated the game, but the Bulldogs (8-4, 3-1) never let the game get away as they never trailed.
Tiara Payne scored four of her 11 points for Crestview in the first quarter as the teams tried to find some sort of tempo on a night where none was to be found.
The Bulldogs took a quick 6-0 lead, before McKinnley Kelley and Taylor Broadnax pulled the Vikings (6-6, 3-2) to within a point of Crestview in a scene that would be repeated throughout the game.
Fort Walton Beach tied the game at 7 before a Jensis Coleman basket put Crestview back in front.
Crestview led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter and stretched the lead to 24-16 at the half as Christa Johnson scored eight of her game-high 20 points in the second quarter.
DeDe McLane did her best to keep the Vikings in the game in the third quarter, but when Lakayla Robinson hit a 3-pointer with 4:29 left in the period the Bulldogs led 33-22 and looked as if they were ready to pull away.
Robinson’s field goal would be the last for the Bulldogs until 3:57 mark in the fourth quarter when Johnson scored off an offensive rebound.
The Vikings cut the Bulldog lead to four points several times in the final 12 minutes, but couldn’t get any closer as they missed 11 free throws in the fourth quarter.
“Missed free throws obviously didn’t help, but we gave up so many offensive rebounds,” Viking coach Holly McDaniel said. “Our energy level was very low and Crestview raised the energy level when they needed to. They make their free throws and we don’t make our free throws.
“I thought we did some good things defensively, but you have to finish it. You have to score and then you have to make the plays and stop them.”
McLane led the Vikings with 19 points. Quay McNabb scored 10 points and Broadnax 5 points.
Johnson and Payne were the only Crestview players in double figures. K.K. McTear scored eight points all in the second half. Coleman added seven points for the Bulldogs.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview girls down Fort Walton Beach (PHOTOS, VIDEO)