The Lady Cougars of Canoe closed the region tournament on a sour note on Saturday falling to the Patrican Academy Lady Saints 39-32 in Grove Hill.

The Lady Cougars (13-8) played a competitive game with the Lady Saints, but a bad fourth quarter ruined their chances of a win.

In the first quarter, the Lady Cougars fell behind the Lady Saints early as Patrician outscored them 9-3.

Escambia Academy bounced back in the second period to take the lead before halftime as they outscored the Lady Saints 12-4.

At the break, the Lady Cougars led 15-13.

Following halftime, the Lady Cougars held their lead through the third quarter, but allowed the Lady Saints to take control in the final eight minutes.

In the third period, the Lady Cougars and Lady Saints battled back-and-forth with neither team able to find any momentum as they each scored 11 points.

Leading 26-24 to open the final quarter of play, the Lady Cougars hit a cold streak and allowed the Lady Saints to take the momentum as Patrician outscored them 15-6 for the win 39-32.

Lady Cougar Amber Huskey led EA by posting another double-double as she scored 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. She also recorded four steals and a block in the loss.

EA’s Grayson Emmons finished the game with 12 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal.

Taylor Helton led the Academy in rebounds with 14 and also recorded three points, two steals and a block.

Lady Cougars Megan Duncan and Rachel Fuller each scored two points in the loss. Duncan also had six rebounds, three steals and an assist, while Fuller recorded two rebounds, one assist and a steal.

The Lady Cougars open the state tournament on Friday with Lakeside Academy at Huntingdon College in Montgomery at 9 a.m.

SA Cougars 52

EA Cougars 41

After opening the region tournament with a 37-29 victory over the Marengo Academy Lady Longhorns, the Escambia Academy Lady Cougars dropped their second game of the region tournament 52-41 to the Southern Academy Lady Cougars.

The EA Lady Cougars (13-7) fell behind in the first quarter and were never able to recover from the early deficit Southern mounted.

In the first quarter, Southern outscored Escambia 14-8, but allowed EA to cut into their lead by one point in the second quarter as EA outscored them 14-13.

Both Lady Cougars teams battled back-and-forth in the third period with each scoreing 14 points.

Southern put the finishing touches on their win in the fourth quarter as they outscored EA 11-5 to win 52-41.

Lady Cougar Amber Huskey led EA with a double-double recording 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Grayson Emmons added 10 points, four assists and two rebounds for EA.