It was payback time in Ithaca for the Seneca girls basketball team on Tuesday, Jan. 29. When it was over, the Indians had clawed their way back into a first place tie with Bulldogs in the Ridge and Valley Conference with a 56-50 victory.

It was anything but easy for the Indians who trailed the Bulldogs until the final minute of the game when they took their first lead at 51-50.

The game started out pretty even until Ithaca took the lead at the end of the first quarter with four straight three-point shots.

Ithaca was ahead 35-15 in the second quarter with Seneca scoring the next eight points to cut the lead and go into the half down by 14 points. Seneca took charge in the final two periods outscoring Ithaca 33 to 13 points.

It was the Indians that capitalized on Ithaca's turnovers and made some crucial free throws late in the game.

How bad was it?

Well, Seneca trialed Ithaca by 14 points at halftime. The Indians narrowed the Bulldogs lead to just three points by the end of the third quarter.

Logan Lessard led all scorers with 30 points. A key for Lessard was converting 11 of 14 at the free throw line, including five of six in the fourth quarter.

“They were pressing pretty hard to keep the ball out of the hands of our ball handlers,” coach Kim Redman said in explaining the Ithaca fouls.

Rounding out the scoring for Seneca were Alexis Payne with 13 points, Taylor Redman with six points, and Brianna Brockway and Morgan Payne each had three points.

Coming up big on the boards, Alexis Payne had nine total rebounds. In addition to scoring 30 points, Lessard had six steals and four assists. Taylor Redman also had four assists.