By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Dunham’s 21 point second quarter proved to be the difference as it hosted and defeated Riverside on Friday, 39-32.

Marci Millet led Riverside with 12 points. Sarah Levin scored seven and Kaitlyn Millet scored six.

Foul trouble doomed the Rebels (4-8) from the first half forward. Three Riverside starters were forced to the bench in the second quarter. And already playing without injured point guard Brittany Schoen, the Rebels had to turn to an inexperienced bench.

By the fourth quarter, four Rebel starters had fouled out the game.

But Riverside made a game of it as it outscored Dunham 19-12 in the second half after falling behind by 14 at halftime.

“I was happy to see that even while we were down at the half, the girls kept fighting,” said Riverside Coach Kristy Hebert. “The girls that came off the bench probably had some nerves early when we let them get that lead, but they really did a good job in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter.”

Riverside outscored Dunham in each of the first, third, and fourth quarters.

Hebert says it’s been good to see her team respond as it has in trying to pick things up in Schoen’s absence over the past few weeks.

“Hopefully it should all pay off when we get to district play,” said Hebert.

Riverside will return from the holidays for its next series of games at the Rumble on the River tournament at the Alario Center, which begins on Dec. 27.