Girls Prep Basketbal: A-J escapes Du Quoin with SIRR win

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Du Quoin High School's girls basketball team came within an eyelash of notching its second River-to-River Conference win Tuesday night.

In the end, however, a late rally by Anna-Jonesboro dashed those hopes.

The Lady Wildcats out-scored DHS 10-7 in the final quarter, escaping Anders Memorial Gymnasium with a hard-fought 45-43 win.

Du Quoin, 8-6 and 1-3, hosts Sparta next Tuesday.

After rallying from a five-point deficit, the Lady Tribe carried a single-point lead into the final quarter.

Jessica Hirsch's 13 points led Du Quoin. Steffanie Gates added eight points, Keawna Anders six and Heather Cavins five.

"The effort was just tremendous," Lady Indians coach Shawn File said.

"We had some foul difficulties but the girls off the bench were just great. We just lost their shooters a ciouple of times late and A-J made us pay with some three-pointers."

In the junior varsity game, the Lady Indians (4-5, 1-3) fell 48-44 after a desperate fourth quarter fell just short.

Curry Emling (11) was the top DHS scorer with Cavins adding seven points and seven rebounds.

Nicole Jackson had eight points, four assists and six steals.