CATOOSA — Taylor Loffer scored the points.

Sydnie Pierce made the difference.

Together, they gave Locust Grove exactly what was needed to turn back Catoosa, 43-42, in a high school girls basketball game Tuesday night.

Pierce, a sophomore who did not start, scored twice in the final 50 seconds, each time regaining the lead for the Pirates.

Her second basket, coming with 13 seconds left, proved to be the winner, but it took a blocked shot by teammate Kelsey Stealer to secure the win.

Loffer had been the whole offensive show until the final minute, scoring 23 points.

After missing her first three attempts, the senior guard went 7-for-9 from the field, and that included 3-for-3 from 3-point range, all in the second half.

But she had fouled out by the time the spotlight began to fall on Pierce.

This was a game in which the last player with the ball was going to be the deciding factor. That was Pierce.

The game was tied six times, the last at 39.

There were 15 lead exchanges, including three in the last 50 seconds.

Locust Grove opened a six-point lead in the second period, the widest gap of the game.

Catoosa’s largest lead was five, and that occurred twice in the fourth quarter.

And neither team shot the ball with any confidence. Except for Loffer. She was the only player on either team to score in every quarter.

With Locust Grove trailing, 35-30, and just under four minutes to play, Loffer seemed to take over the game. She scored seven straight points, to regain the lead.

She sandwiched baskets around her own defensive rebound, and after an inactive spell by both teams, she hit a 3-pointer at 2:53 for a 37-35 advantage.

Her opposite number, Kayla Hall, unloaded four quick points before Locust Grove’s Becki Hendrickson scored on a driving layup to tie with just under two minutes left.

First, Sarah Nash connected on a free throw to put Catoosa up by one at 1:40.

Then Locust Grove turned to Pierce. She scored from the lane with 50 seconds remaining and was fouled. Despite missing the free throw, she had jerked the Pirates back in front, 41-40.

Cagen Smith rebounded for Catoosa and Hall was fouled 14 seconds later. The 5-6 senior made both free throws and again Catoosa went in front.

Locust Grove coach Justin Brown called time to plot his strategy.

Loffer was on the bench with five fouls. Pierce was in the game with a determined mindset.

“I was confident putting the ball in her hands,” Brown said. “Totally.”

The sophomore went straight to the lane and put up the shot with 13 seconds remaining that delivered Locust Grove’s 12th victory.

For the game, Locust Grove shot 34 percent from the field, 19-of-56. But subtracting Loffer’s 7-for-12 performance, Locust Grove’s shooting percentage falls to 27 percent, 12-of-44.

Excluding Loffer’s 3-for-3 numbers from 3-point range, Locust Grove made just 2-of-19. As a team, Locust Grove did not make a free throw — missing five attempts.

Pierce, who scored only in the second and fourth quarters, led the Locust Grove rebounding with seven. Shelby Hurry and Sabina Burton collected six each.

Catoosa shot just 33 percent from the field, 13-of-39. Even its free-throw shooting was off, 14-of-26 for 53 percent.

Bailey Luellen, 5-9 senior, led Catoosa’s 40-33 rebound advantage with 10 of her own.

Opening the game with three straight misses, Loffer warmed up quickly. She connected on five straight field-goal attempts overlapping the first two periods.

She hit on four straight shots overlapping the final two periods.

“She came to play,” Brown said.

But then, so did the sophomore reserve, Sydnie Pierce.

Notes … Locust Grove is 12-8. A year ago, when Brown was coaching in Pawnee, Locust Grove won four games. …

Catoosa is 7-15, having lost three in a row and eight of its last nine. …

In the first meeting between the two, Locust Grove took a 68-44 decision at home.

LG 43, CATOOSA 42

LG              6  11 11  15 — 43

Catoosa     7   7  18  10 — 42

Locust Grove — Loffer 23, Pierce 6, Hendrickson 5, Stealer 4, Burton 3, Holman 2.

Catoosa — Hall 16, Luellen 8, Jones 5, Smith 5, Phillips 4, Nash 4.