The Connally Cougars girls’ basketball team dropped a heartbreaker at home on Friday night, as the Westlake Chaparrals escaped with a 48-46 victory. The loss dropped the Cougars into a second place tie with the Chaparrals behind the Pflugerville Lady Panthers.

The Cougars took an early lead behind the play of the Brittany Roberts, who opened the game with a 3-pointer. After a Chaparral basket made the score 3-2, Roberts completed an old fashion three-point play to give her team a 6-2 lead. The Chaparrals, however, took the lead at 11-9 following a 3-pointer by Kayla Ball. They closed the quarter holding a 15-13 lead.

At the start of the second quarter, the Cougars tied the game at 15-15 when Kali Jerrell scored on a dazzling drive to the basket. The game was either tied, or the Chaparrals held small leads the rest of the quarter, until Roberts scored off an offensive rebound just before the end of the period to give the Cougars a 22-21 halftime lead.

The Cougars took their biggest lead of the night at 27-22 in the early part of the third quarter following a Jasmine Dukes 3-pointer and a basket by Genea Rucker. Following two Chaparrals free throws, Rucker grabbed a steal and passed to Jerrell for an easy basket giving the Cougars a 37-31 lead. That lead would be short lived, as the Chaparrals went on a 13-2 run to close the quarter with a 37-31 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Dukes completed a three-point play after being fouled on coast-to-coast drive to the basket. The Cougars went on a 12-5 run to take a 43-42. A little late in the final quarter, the Chaparrals’ Hannah Coley was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer and converted all three free throws to give her team a 46-43 lead. However, Roberts nailed another 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to tie the game at 46-46. The Chaparrals’ Cherrell Mays converted one out of two free throw after being fouled to give her team a 47-46 lead. The Chaparrals’ Ball stole the inbound pass from the Cougars and drew a foul. She converted one of two free throws to give the Chaparrals a 48-46 lead. The Cougars’ desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer came up short, giving the Chaparrals the narrow victory.

The loss dropped the Cougars to 23-8 overall and 9-2 in district play, while the Chaparrals improved to 23-6 overall and 9-2 in district play.

Roberts led the Cougars in scoring with 14 points.