MORROW -- With 12.4 seconds remaining in the game on Wednesday night at Little Miami High School, freshman guard Emma Hartmann netted two critical free throws to lift the host Lady Panthers over ECC rival Anderson 48-45 as Little Miami claimed their first win of the 2021-22 season in dramatic fashion.

Little Miami jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter as senior guard Mara Briscoe landed a 3-pointer in front of the home student section to start the Panthers scoring. However, Anderson junior forward Shelby Humphrey would score the next seven Lady Raptor points to put the visitors ahead 7-3 before a Coach Hartmann initiated a Panther timeout. Following the break, senior guards Alyssa Brown and Briscoe would each add another 3-pointer to knot the game at 9-9 as the quarter was roaring to a close, but Anderson wouldn't go down easy as freshman forward Olivia Havens found glass-and-net as time expired to give the Raptors an 11-9 lead at the quarters close.

In the second stanza, play wouldn't get any more comfortable for either team as both continued to trade punches and once again the quarter came down to the last shot. With 23.8 seconds remaining until halftime, Anderson's Paige Shear logged two free throws to put the visitors ahead 20-19. However, on the next possession Little Miami advanced the ball into the front court and Panther senior Brooke Thompson nailed a 3-pointer as time expired to catapult the Cats ahead by two at 22-20 heading into the intermission.

In the third quarter, Little Miami added 15 points while Anderson found their footing too and reclaimed the lead adding 20 of their own to make the score 40-37 in favor of the visitors heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth, the Anderson found themselves clawing to hold on, but foul troubles would send Little Miami to the charity stripe three times in the waning minutes of the game. Overall, Little Miami was 5-for-6 from the line in the fourth, and with less than a minute remaining two Panther freshman proved pressure wouldn't rattle them.

At the 52.5 mark, freshman Bella Houillion would go 2-for-2 to put Little Miami ahead 46-45 one final time in the game, and less than a minute later (12.4 seconds remaining) Emma Hartmann would do the same. 

Anderson senior forward Shelby Humphrey lead all scorers with 19, while Little Miami senior Mara Briscoe chipped in 14 to lead the Panthers.

Little Miami returns to action this weekend when the Panthers travel to Kings for a 2 p.m. matinee against the host Knights.