By Daniel Green |  BWS Sports

PICKERING — When it comes to rivalry games, anything can and will happen.

And Tuesday night was no different.

PIckering’s Desire Privitera connected on a wide-open three-pointer with three seconds to go to propel the Red Devils to a 69-66 District 5-2A win over the Rosepine Eagles.

With the victory, Pickering improved to 8-9 on the season, 1-1 in district play. Rosepine dropped to 8-11 overall, 1-1 in league play.

The first quarter was indicative as to how the whole game would be as both teams led during the opening stanza.

Pickering bolted out to a 5-0 lead after a driving layup by Kaleb O’Banion and a three-pointer from Dareyun Hargrove, only to watch Rosepine battle back behind the play of Hayden Brister to build a 20-14 lead after the first eight minutes on the court.

But back roared the Red Devils, using a 23-10 outburst in the second period as Marlon Freeney, O’Banion and Landon Chattam each contributed in the surge as Pickering claimed a 37-30 advantage going into the halftime intermission.

Rosepine continued to battle back and closed the gap on several occasions during the third quarter as Braydon Williams picked up his scoring pace.  Tristan Evans also contributed in the scoring effort as the Eagles trailed by just five points going into the fourth period, 52-47.

The Eagles continued to battle and eventually took the lead on a free throw from Williams, 62-61. After an exchange of buckets, the game was knotted at 66-66, when Rosepine put up an ill-advised shot from 18 feet away, allowing Pickering to gain possession.

After a timeout, the Red Devils worked some time off the clock before Privitera drained the wide open triple from the right wing, giving Pickering a 69-66 lead with three seconds to go.

The Eagles managed to get a shot off before the buzzer, but Brister’s 30-foot heave at the buzzer bounded off the backboard and rim, falling harmlessly to the floor.

Hargrove paced the Red Devils with 20 points, while O’Banion came in with 16 points, including a 10-of-13 effort from the free throw line. Freeney chipped in with 12 points, while Chattam acded 10 points.

Brister led the way for Rosepine with a game-high 21 points, while Williams added 19 points for the Eagles. Hunter Hines finished with 11 points, while Evans chipped in with 10 points.

Lady Eagles……86

Lady Red Devils….1

The Rosepine Lady Eagles were all business on Tuesday night in a District 5-2A showdown against Vernon Parish rival, Pickering.

All 18 players on the Rosepine roster saw extended time on the court, with 10 of them scoring as the Lady Eagles recorded an 86-1 win over the Lady Red Devils on Tuesday night.

With the victory, Rosepine improved to 20-7 overall, including a 2-1 record in district play. Pickering fell to 8-12 on the season, 1-1 in league action.

Rosepine wasted little time jumping out into the lead, getting an opening three-pointer from Taylor Farris. Before too long, the Lady Eagles were leading by double figures as Kelly Norris, Nevaeh Rivera and Addison Fruge seemed to score at will.

By the end of the first quarter, the Lady Eagles owned a 31-0 advantage.

Rosepine kept the torrid scoring pace going in the second quarter, scoring all 25 points in the frame to open up a 56-0 advantage heading into the locker room at the intermission.

Pickering broke into the scoring column in the third period with a free throw from Allie Wilson, but that would be the lone highlight of the frame as Rosepine moved out to a 75-1 advantage.

Rosepine scored the final 11 points of the game in the fourth period, getting baskets from Hayley Calcote, Allie Johnson and Madelin Bourget to round out the victory.

Norris led the Lady Eagles with 21 points, while Fruge and Rivera added 16 and 15 points, respectively. Farris and Shelby Grant each contributed seven points.

Wilson scored the lone point for the Lady Red Devils.