The Seneca grils basketball team needed a big fourth quarter to pull out the conference opener against the DeSoto Pirates last week.

At the end of three quarters, Seneca trailed DeSoto 27-22, but the Indians came back to outscore the Pirates 11-3 in the final quarter to claim a 33-30 victory and a 1-0 Ridge and Valley Conference record.

The Indians were led in scoring by Taylor Redman with 11 points and Brianna Brockway with 10 points.

Michaela Chambers and Elizabeth Garfoot each scored four points. Morgan Wall and Morgan Payne scored two points.

Coach Kim Redman noted that when DeSoto was scoring it was because the Indians were allowing them second and third shots. She is concerned if the Indians don’t box out against a taller Wauzeka-Steuben Hornet team this week they could be in for a long night.

“They have nice size,” Redman said of the Hornets. “We have got to limit them to one shot.”

The Seneca Indians play at Wauzeka-Steuben on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. and play North Crawford at Seneca on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m.

Redman took heart in the victory over DeSoto.

“It made a statement for the girls,” the coach said. “Now, they know they can come back.”

Looking ahead to North Crawford, Redman noted the athleticism of the Trojans is pretty well known and she expects a tough game.