Above: Senior Carey Yeary puts up a shot during the Lady Badgers' 55-51 victory Monday evening. Yeary finished with eight points. Below: Wing Chelsea Smith goes to the floor, battling for a loose ball. The Lady Badgers took another step Monday toward becoming a true team.

With a 16-point cushion heading into the fourth quarter, a Lampasas victory over Harker Heights appeared imminent, but looks can be deceiving.

The Lady Knights put together an incredible final eight minutes, drawing to within two points at 52- 50 before Lampasas came together defensively to earn a 55-51 win in their own gym.

Not only did the win help boost the collective confidence of the Lady Badgers who started the season 0-3, but it also helped unify the squad that played more as a collection of individuals in prior games.

"I think it brought them together a lot," head coach Stuart Beckwith said. "I didn't have the heart to tell them how disappointed I was that we blew a [huge] lead because they were banging lockers and they were excited.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD AKRIDGE "That was a big deal. That was a big win for us."

Despite not scoring in the fourth quarter, junior Lauren Barlow finished with a game-high 17 points to go with 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Freshman guard Chelsea Smith tallied nine points, and sharpshooter Carey Yeary scored eight, including a pair of early 3-pointers, as the Lady Badgers (2-3) built their large lead.

Lampasas connected on 12-of-25 shots in the first half while limiting Harker Heights to just three points in the second quarter.

After the break, the Lady Knights began chipping away at Lampasas' lead, taking advantage of the home team's suddenly cold shooting streak. The Lady Badgers were five of 22 from the field in the second half.

"Offensively, we were really forcing it [in the second half]," Beckwith said. "We were doing a lot of things that were really sinking our ship."

With 1:23 remaining in the contest, Lampasas owned a six-point lead at 52-46, but a pair of free throws by ReyVaughn Barnes and a Bianca Golden steal and layup brought Harker Heights within two points.

After Lady Badger Kalyn Urofsky threw away the ball, Barnes again found her way to the free-throw line, where she sank the first attempt but missed the second.

Urofsky quickly made up for the blunder, however.

Moments later, the junior wing found herself at the line where she split a pair of free throws, missing the second attempt. But Urofsky grabbed the rebound and kicked the ball out to Kayla Lowery, who tacked on the game's final points after being fouled.

"The kids grew up a little bit there," Beckwith said. "We made a lot of mistakes and did a lot of dumb things but, by the end of the game, we gathered together as a team."