The Lady Leopards ran their win streak to 10 with a convincing 71-58 victory against Union County on Tuesday night in Homer. #4-ranked Banks County (17-4; 6-0) remained unbeaten in region play while handing the Lady Panthers (10-9; 3-1) their first region loss.

After a modest start to the game in which Banks opened with a 7-2 run, Union’s Ariel McCarter stopped the early bleeding with a 3-pointer. However, Ella Kate Shedd got the gym rocking with a buzzer-beater from well beyond the arc for the 14-10 lead. In the second, Addison Hoard’s triple and Carley Segars’ 3-point play took the advantage up to 30-15 as part of a 16-5 run. That had the Lady Leopards up 31-21 going into the half.

In the third, Paula Robertson nailed a tray, but Hoard caught fire with a flurry of baskets as well as a 3-pointer. Robertson interrupted Hoard’s stretch with another 3-ball. Hoard had 9 points in the third, while McCarter and Robertson each had 6 to keep Union in the game. It was a 53-41 game heading into the final quarter.

McCarter remained hot with yet another shot from deep, putting the game within 8 points. However, Ryleigh Murphy echoed with her own 3-pointer, scoring all 11 of her points in the second half as Banks took the 71-58 win.

Segars led Banks County with 17 points, and was joined in double figures by Hoard (15), Reese Murphy (12), and Ryleigh Murphy (11). Emmie Chitwood added 7 and Maggie Irvin 6, while Shedd came in with 3. Union County was paced by McCarter’s game-high 22 points. Robertson had 14 and Lara Turner 13. Katelyn Brown and Morgan Warren each had 3 points, and Hope Taylor ended with 2.