Both teams started off slow, with Lake Placid finally putting some points on the board about midway through the first quarter. Saranac Lake had trouble answering, and the Blue Bombers soon had a 6-0 lead, until Red Storm senior Jayda Buckley drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2 minutes left in the opening quarter. Placid took a 12-5 lead into the second.

Saranac Lake rallied in the second quarter and came up with some big defensive stops to halt the visitors’ scoring spree. Buckley, who finished with six points on the night, made another 3 in the second as the Red Storm outscored the Bombers 7-5 in the quarter. Saranac Lake was also able to neutralize Lake Placid’s Graci Daby, who put up a game-high 10 points on the night, but was held scoreless in the second quarter. Lake Placid went into the half up 17-12.

After the break, the Storm came out swinging and again outscored the Bombers in the third quarter as Roslyn McClatchie put up three 3s in the third to lead Saranac Lake with a team-high nine points on the night. McClatchie’s back-to-back 3s just about halfway through the quarter gave the Red Storm their first and only lead of the night. Saranac Lake’s Kailee McCormick sank her only basket to give Saranac Lake 11 in the quarter, while Dabi, Lindsey Rath and Kaleigh McKillip each contributed to the Bombers’ eight points.

Going into the fourth quarter, Lake Placid point guard Camille Craig drained a 3 of her own, while Rath also sank one from outside the arc. Saranac Lake’s Magee Carpenter made a free throw for the Storms’ only point of the quarter.

Saranac Lake’s Kylee Clark wrestles with Lake Placid’s Graci Daby, center, and Kaleigh McKillip for the ball during the second half of Tuesday’s game in Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Red Storm coach Frank Johns was not pleased with the game his girls played as they moved to 4-6 on the season.

“Too many turnovers, and we didn’t get very many offensive rebounds in the first half,” he said. “They deserve it. We turned the ball over too many times. You can’t give the ball to the other team and expect to win. You gotta take care of the basketball.

“We had like 17 or 18 turnovers, that’s just too many.”

Lake Placid’s Craig had the opposite reaction after the game, citing the rivalry between the two teams.

“It was fun, I thought we played really well,” she said. “I think we need to run through our plays better and not just rush because we’re excited.

Lake Placid co-captain Graci Daby turns to take the ball upcourt during the first quarter of a rivalry game Tuesday night in Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

“Although we were really excited, there were moments of brilliance where we would pull it together.”

Lake Placid coach Jeff Potter said he was pleased with the win even though he thought the girls could have done some things better.

“Well, it was ugly, but we’ll take it,” Potter said. “It’s good to come over and get a win against your rival. We shot a lot better tonight than we have been and had good pressure defense.

“They hustle a lot, they work together defensively. We’ve got some tough games coming up, but it was good to come over here and get a win on the road.”

Each team plays again Friday night, with Saranac Lake hosting Beekmantown at 7 p.m. and the 5-5 Blue Bombers taking on Seton Catholic at home at 6:30 p.m.