Rarely does a team score nine first-half points, yet win.

The Klahowya girl’s basketball team nearly did it against King’s West Tuesday, but a comeback bid ignited by outside shooting and the Lady Warriors’ inability to deliver the dagger fell shy as KW escaped 33-31.

The Lady Eagles managed just four field goals in the first half, facing full-court pressure from KW that disrupted their offense and led to turnovers and a 22-9 halftime deficit.

“Initially it affected us,” KSS coach Don Farrel said of the pressure. “That’s when we had some turnovers.”

But the Lady Eagles settled in after halftime to outscore KW 12-7 in the third quarter. Jordan Dixon, who finished with 13 points, knocked down a few shots and KW’s top scoring threat, Breyenne Mosey, got into foul trouble.

The lead eventually dwindled to 31-29 at the 2:30 mark of the fourth when Mosey fouled out. Neither team scored over the next two minutes until Michelle Mosey launched a pass more than half the length of the court to KW point guard Irene Moore, who snuck behind the KSS press to corral the pass, finishing with a layup to make it 33-29.

A late KSS bucket with less than five seconds left cut the lead to 33-31, but KW (9-5) burned the final seconds to secure the victory.

“They are a scrappy team, give them credit,” said first-year KW coach Yvonne Brittain.

Brittain said her team has a tendency to get complacent, often relying on Breyenne Mosey to do the bulk of the scoring. But even with Mosey in the game much of the second half despite foul trouble, the Lady Warriors never found a rhythm. After Mosey fouled out, it was just a matter of hanging on.

“Our offensive execution wasn’t where it needed to be in the second half,” Brittain said. “We have a tendency to force the ball a little too much.”

Bryenne Mosey finished with 15 points to lead all scorers, but said after the game she felt nervous as her team’s lead continued to shrink.

“My heart was racing, I just wanted to win,” she said. “I didn’t want to go home with another loss, and I just wanted to help my team win.”

For KSS (4-11 overall, 2-10 league), the loss was the team’s ninth in 10 games. But coming off a winless 2007-08 season, Farrell said the team is confident, young and making strides.

“It’s tough right now because we’re on a losing streak,” Farrell said. “This year they know they’re competitive and they can play with almost anybody if they play a good game.”