Anne Secrest (50) wins the tip for Valley against North Harrison. (Photos by Nick Goralczyk)

NEW CASTLE — Chalk it up as a bittersweet performance for the Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team. The Vikings opened their showing at the 2016 City Securities Hall of Fame Classic with a game against No. 1 North Harrison Thursday afternoon. Despite a valiant effort in three of the four quarters, Valley fell victim to an ugly third quarter performance and would watch the top-ranked Cougars seal a 67-58 victory.

Things started off well for Valley, going on a 14-1 run in the first quarter after falling behind 4-0. But that run would only poke the bear, or in Thursday’s case, the cougar.

North Harrison closed the opening frame on a 13-6 run and would only trail the Vikings 20-18 going into the second.

The second quarter provided a toe-to-toe battle between the past two state runners-up in Class 3-A (Valley in 2015, North Harrison in 2016). The Cougars would win the frame 16-14, but it was Valley that took momentum into the locker room following a buzzer-beating three from Meredith Brouyette at the end of the half to even things up 34-34.

Brouyette had three of the team’s seven three-pointers and would finish with nine points. Addy Miller shared the same stat line. Despite the fair effort from beyond the arc for Valley, the Cougars were just a little bit better as they hit nine treys.

That effort from deep was essential in keeping North Harrison around in the first half and getting the Cougs to pull away in the second.

The Cougars outscored Valley 18-7 in the third quarter, fueled by an 18-0 run. That devastating run, combined with Valley’s 19 turnovers in the game were just too much to overcome for the Vikings.

Meredith Brouyette drains a three for the Lady Vikes.

Valley kept things close in the fourth, but never closed the gap under eight points, allowing the Cougars to keep their distance with free throws. North Harrison was 22-32 from the line in the game, Valley finished 9-14.

“If you go down and look at our board, we put on there that we wanted 10 turnovers or less,” said Valley head coach Chris Kindig. “We knew with their pressure defense, we could see it in the game film, that if we didn’t take care of the basketball it would be a 20 or 30-point game. Although we didn’t handle it as well as we would have liked to, I thought we did a pretty good job until that third quarter and then they got that run.

“It was 34-34 at halftime then we just turned the ball over a few times and they got some easy baskets and that momentum just changes.

“But we hung in there. We could’ve given in and it, again, could be a 20-point game. I think we got it down to eight points or so and even had the ball. So, give a lot of credit to the girls, they didn’t give in and I was proud of them for that.”

Valley was led by a solid effort from Anne Secrest. The senior scored a game-high 22 points and pulled down five boards before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Sophie Bussard scored 13 as well for the Vikings.

The Cougars had four players in double figures, led by Cali Nolot and Taylor Rennirt who each had 18.

Valley (10-3) will play Plainfield (12-4) at 6 p.m. in the consolation game while North Harrison (14-0) will meet Greenfield-Central (9-7) in the championship game at approximately 7:45.

North Harrison’s Lilly Hatton (14) boxes out Asia O’Connor during Valley’s first game of the day.