Lions Roar Loud but Fall Just Short in 32–31 Heartbreaker to Shaw

PEPPER PIKE, OH- The Orange Lions were one quarter away from a statement win Wednesday night, but a late surge by Shaw High School left them on the wrong side of a 32–31 thriller.

Orange carried a 27–24 lead into the fourth quarter after battling through three tightly contested frames. The Lions’ defense had forced tough shots, and their offense found rhythm behind Isla Osterman, who poured in a team-high 13 points. With momentum on their side, it seemed the Lions were poised to close it out.

But the final eight minutes belonged to the Cardinals.

Shaw outscored Orange 8–4 in the fourth quarter, clawing back possession by possession. The turning point came when Serenity Kent-Cox buried a clutch three-pointer that electrified the Shaw bench and swung the momentum. From there, the Cardinals stayed composed at the free-throw line, converting 3 of 4 attempts down the stretch to edge ahead.

Orange had opportunities—several of them.

In the final minute, the Lions created chances to reclaim the lead but couldn’t get the decisive bucket to fall. Missed free throws also loomed large. Orange struggled at the line throughout the night, connecting on just 7 of 15 attempts. In a one-point game, those missed opportunities proved costly.

Despite the heartbreak, the Lions showed resilience and defensive grit, battling until the final buzzer in a game that could have gone either way.

Serenity Kent-Cox 2-4-4-9

Kamora Davis 2-4-6-8

Tynya Jackson 3-0-0-7

Jaida Drewery 2-0-0-6

Quorion Smalls 1-0-0-2

Mackenzie Mitchell 1-1-6-3

Adele Tokmazeysky 2-0-0-4

Isla Osterman 4-5-5-13

Dora Russo 3-1-4-7

Parker Wirick 2-0-0-4