Photo by Kim North Martins Ferry’s Lindsey Best (11) guards Indian Creek’s Kaydence Walker during their game Monday night inside Tolbert Gymnasium. Best scored 11 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter in leading the Purple Riders to a 51-40 victory over the visiting Redskins.

MARTINS FERRY — Lindsey Best saved her best for the fourth quarter Monday night as Martins Ferry staged a furious comeback inside Tolbert Gymnasium.

The Purple Riders senior and Bethany College recruit scored 11 of her game-high 23 points in the final eight minutes, leading her team to a 51-40 come-from-behind win over visiting Indian Creek high atop the Purple City.

“That’s what Lindsey Best is supposed to do,” veteran Martins Ferry head coach Dave Reasbeck said. “But she didn’t do it by herself.”

A full court trapping defense helped Martins Ferry (12-5) during its fourth-quarter rally, forcing four turnovers in a two-and-a-half minute span.The lead went from 40-39 to 45-39 and all but sealed the deal. Indian Creek (11-18) made it 45-40 but the Purple Riders ended the game on a 6-0 run as Best cashed in two free throws, Alivia Reese put back an offensive rebound and Giana Chirpas went coast-to-coast with a late steal.

“Chirpas does so much on the defensive end of the floor that it’s hurting her offense, but she came through tonight,” Reasbeck praised. “Sidon is going to make shots and Maddie is going to get rebounds.”

Martins Ferry shot the ball well in the first quarter. It went 7-for-10 from the floor in building a 14-7 lead. However, it couldn’t find the range in the middle two frames as Indian Creek stormed back to take a 37-36 lead heading into the pivotal fourth quarter.

“We got off to a pretty good start, but then we sort of lost interest,” Reasbeck explained. “It was like we weren’t into it. It could’ve been that tonight was our fourth game in five nights, I don’t really know.”

The lead changed hands three times in the first minute-and-a-half as the Purple Riders took a 38-37 lead before the Redskins went ahead 39-38. Best made it 40-39 with 5:40 left to play and the hosts never trailed again. Her three from the right wing bumped the count to 43-39 with 4:45 remaining and Indian Creek turned the ball over on its next three possessions.

“We battled back to within two at the half and took the lead in the third quarter,” Indian Creek head coach Steve Efot said. “I told the girls going into the fourth quarter that if I would’ve told them that earlier today, they’d all be happy, but it’s time to finish this thing off.

“I think we kind of ran out of gas and missed some easy shots in the third quarter,” Eft recalled. “I think we could’ve extended our lead there, but turnovers came back to haunt us. They turned up the pressure and we didn’t handle it very well.”

Lindse Sidon scored all 12 of her points in the first half, with all coming on bonus goals, including three in the second quarter.

Chirpas finished with 11 points and Maddie Lucas secured a game-best nine rebounds.

“We looked up at the score and they were like it’s time to start playing which is what I really like about this team. They are winners. I wouldn’t trade them for anyone,” Reasbeck said. “We played a really good fourth quarter against the Buckeye 8 champions and one of the top seeds in the OVAC Class 4A Tournament.

“I’m ecstatic with this team right now.”

McKenna Scott had 15 points to lead Indian Creek, but she was the only double figure scorer. Riley Sadler and Kaydence Walker each had eight and Gracie Sklinesmith seven. Sadler also pulled down eight boards.

Indian Creek charted 17 turnovers, five more than Martins Ferry.