LAKEVILLE, IN. - Even when things don't necessarily go your way, teams will find a way to get the job done. In Friday's second semifinal of the 58th TCU Bi-County Basketball Tournament, LaVille found a way to pick up a hard-earned 49-41 victory over Argos at Cox Gymnasium. The win puts the Lancers in the varsity girls championship game for the first time since 2018. "I felt it was a good win for us," said first-year LaVille coach Nicholas Amor. "I told the girls in the locker room afterwards that sometimes good teams have to find a way to win ugly. We struggled a little bit sorting on defense, but they found a way. We struggled at the foul line and yet still found a way. It is very exciting to be able to play in the championship game on Saturday. What a great opportunity! These girls have worked really hard this year and have earned this opportunity." LaVille led 37-30 early in the fourth quarter when senior Heaylyn Kwiatkowski found classmate Lucy Sherk in the lane for a bucket. Argos, however, made a run after key points from Emma Dunlap, Ellie Bollenbacher, and Isabella Stults trimmed the margin to 37-36 with 4:24 left. Amor's club remained steady and got an old-fashioned 3-point play from Kwiatkowski and another Kwiatkowski-to-Sherk assist that gave the home folks something to cheer about as the Lancer lead jumped to 42-36. As the clock moved near the end of the game, Argos began to foul to put LaVille in the bonus. Though LHS missed three key one-and-ones, the Lancer defense stayed tough and held Argos to just four points in the final three minutes. As the clock continued to favor LaVille, the Lancers steadied their nerves to hit seven of eight free throws while in the double-bonus to punch their ticket to the title game against defending champion Bremen. Sophomore Mikalah Kuskye started the run at the chartily stripe in the final minute by calmly sinking two tosses. "Now we have to go back to our basics, revisit our half court defense and play equally as hard to beat a good Bremen team," Amor explained. "Down the stretch, Heaylyn and Lucy stepped up offensively even though they struggled from the free throw line. They kept their heads and found ways to finish around the rim. I subbed quite a bit throughout the game, because different girls were doing different things well. London had a few key rebounds toward the end of the game. Lauren was playing great defense and they know from night to night, depending on the matchup and who's giving me what, anyone of them can fill a spot. Couldn't ask for more!" Sherk put together five points as LaVille took a 11-7 lead after one quarter. Lily Smith hit a couple of clutch treys to help the Lancers take a 23-14 lead at the intermission. Kwiatkowski scored nine of her 13 points in the final quarter and knocked down her last four three throws to help seal the victory. Sherk picked up a double-double, leading LaVille with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Kwiatkowski also added eight board and five assists. Kuskye chipped in with seven points and Lily Smith six for LHS. Senior Lauren Edison added five rebounds. LaVille improves to 14-6 overall and have won the last three straight. The Lancers will face Bremen, winners of the last three TCU Bi-County varsity girls basketball championship games played, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, January 21. There was not a TCU Bi-County Basketball Tournament varsity girls championship game held in 2021 due to COVID. The game will be played inside Dale E. Cox Gymnasium at LaVille. * * * * * 58th TCU Bi-County Basketball Tournament At Lakeville Varsity Girls Semifinal LaVille 49, Argos 41 Argos 7 14 28 41 LaVille 11 23 33 49 Argos - Samantha Redinger 12, Baleigh Binkley 1, Isabella Stults 5, Emma Dunlap 17, Ava Stackhouse 0, Morgan Barcus 1, Aleasia Sarver 0, Elle Bollenbacher 5, Alydiah Leed 0. Totals: 13 12-20 41 LaVille - Lily Smith 6, Heaylyn Kwiatkowski 13, Brooke Edison 4, Mikalah Kuskye 7, Lauren Edison 0, London Kwiatkowski 2, Lucy Sherk 17, Quincy Blodgett 0. Totals: 18 11-19 49 3-point field goals: Argos 3 (Redinger, Stults, Dunlap), LaVille 2 (Smith 2) Total fouls (fouled out): Argos 22 (Redinger, Stults, Dunlap) , LaVille 17 (none)