COLUMBIA, Mo. - With the game tied, the Rock Bridge Bruins ran the final minute of regulation off the clock before attempting a shot for the win against the Jefferson City Lady Jays.
It missed.
So it wasn't a shock the Bruins tried the same strategy again at the end of overtime.
This time, it didn't.
Katey Klucking's layup with about a second remaining Thursday night lifted the Bruins to a 41-39 victory against the Lady Jays in a clash of Class 5 top-five teams.
"We kept fighting and fighting," Jefferson City coach Brad Conway said. "We were able to keep getting the game tied, but we never could convert to get to play with the lead."
Jefferson City trailed by 11 points midway through the third quarter before battling back.
"We could have hung our heads at that point, but we didn't," Conway said.
The Lady Jays opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 31 with 4:15 remaining. The two teams turned the ball over on four straight possessions before two free throws by Peyton McCallister with 2:45 left gave the Bruins the lead.
That started a back-and-forth scoring run by both teams. Sydney Crockett's second straight basket, with 1:30 left, tied the game at 35.
The Bruins missed a shot on their next possession before the Lady Jays turned it over with :57.3 left in regulation. The Bruins then ran the clock down, only to miss a 3-pointer as time expired.
"We know it's a rivalry game, playing up here, we showed some guts fighting back," Conway said.
Rock Bridge took the lead on a putback by Klucking on the first possession of overtime before a layup from Lexy Haug pulled Jefferson City into a tie at 37 with 3:00 left.
Madison Treece converted on two free throws with 2:28 left to give the Bruins a 39-37 lead. Caitlin Anderson then tied the game again with 1:20 to go on a reverse layup.
The Bruins then ran down the clock, leading to Klucking's game-winner.
Klucking finished with a game-high 17 points for the Bruins (17-5, ranked No. 5). Treece added 11 as only four Rock Bridge players scored in the game.
"Defensively, we are right where we want to be," Conway said.
The Lady Jays led 9-7 after the first quarter. Rock Bridge tied it in the opening minute of the second quarter and Jefferson City never led again.
Jefferson City managed just four points, to go along with eight turnovers, in the second quarter and trailed 21-13 at the half. The Lady Jays were just 4-of-17 from the field in the first two quarters.
"We had some good looks, we just couldn't get the ball to fall," Conway said. "We missed some shots we have to start hitting.
"And we didn't take care of the basketball very well. But we did in the second half."
Jefferson City had just five turnovers in the final two quarters and overtime.
Crockett and Anderson finished with nine points each for Jefferson City.
"You have to be happy when you play well for 30-plus possessions and don't really on just three or four," Conway said. "But this game doesn't define our season, we're going to get right back to work."
Jefferson City (17-2, ranked No. 1 in Class 5) is back in action at 5:30 p.m. Saturday against Sullivan in the rescheduled title game in the Union Tournament.
In Thursday's JV game, Rock Bridge topped Jefferson City 37-23. Cailin Mooney totaled five points to lead the Lady Jays, who fall to 8-6.