While the Grant Union girls basketball team was handed their first loss in league play Friday, Jan. 7, falling to Enterprise 52-39, the Lady Pros turned things around and defeated Heppner 45-44 in front of a hometown crowd Saturday, Jan. 8, to even out their league record at 1-1.

Short a couple of their starting players, the Lady Pros headed into Saturday’s contest a little out of sorts.

“We were kind off-kilter with some of our girls being out,” Grant Union senior Riley Robertson said. “But we got back into it.”

Both teams battled back and forth in the early going, neither gaining the clear advantage. However, with just over a minute left to play in the first period, the Mustangs nearly cut Grant Union’s 12-6 lead in half, and by the end of the first half, Heppner pulled ahead 23-20.

Grant Union senior Carson Weaver said they turned the ball over in the first half but turned things around after halftime and worked together to pull out the win.

“We worked together to relieve the pressure and spread the pressure out,” Weaver said.

Senior Riley Robertson said the team does not rely on one player to carry the team.

“It’s not like we have a star player,” Lady Pro senior Lauryn Pettyjohn said.

Pettyjohn and Robertson combined for 18 points. Meanwhile, senior Grace Taylor led the team with 11 points and was seven of eight at the free-throw line, and Kate Hughes and Paige Weaver (no relation to Carson) combined for 10 points.

Next up, the Lady Pros face Pilot Rock on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. at Grant Union High School to make up for the Dec. 30 cancellation.