Ashburton College’s Poppy Kilworth drives to the basket in her side’s 50-52 semi-final loss to Kavanagh College yesterday. Photo Jaime Pitt-MacKayThe Ashburton College Junior Girls’ Basketball side has suffered a heartbreaking semi-final loss on the penultimate day of the Junior Zone 4 Premiership Tournament being held in Ashburton.

Facing off against Kavanagh College, the side trailed 23-24 at the halftime mark, while a slow start to the third quarter proved costly for the side.

It took nearly five minutes for the side to register their first points of the quarter, and only a late quarter rush saw them trailing by five points 34-39.

AshColl were able to chip away at the lead, eventually tying up the game with just under 20 seconds left on the clock.

Kavanagh were able to make one of two free-throws to lead by one point, before AshColl lost possession on the final play and were forced into fouling, all but sealing the game.

The side will now play off for third and fourth against Timaru Girls’ High School today at 5.45pm.

In the boys’ competition, Ashburton College and Mount Hutt College clashed in their final game of pool play, with Ashburton College taking out a narrow 51-49 point victory.

AshColl was up to play Cashmere in the last game of the night to decide placings heading in to the final day today, while Mount Hutt will face Dunstan High School.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 4 September 2017