LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — It was a real honest-to-goodness nail-biter, hang on to the edge of your seat girls' varsity basketball game.

On Thursday, February 15, the home team Lady Bulldogs of Sullivan West (10-7 overall, 0-3 league) took to the floor against the James I’ O’Neill Lady Raiders (7-1 overall, 4-4 league).

The non-league game was evenly matched at the end of the first frame as both squads posted eight points on the scoreboard.

In the second period, Sullivan West showed their mettle by outgunning O’Neill 15-8 to rack up a seven-point lead at the half (23-16).

The third frame was dead even, as each team added nine points to their respective tallies, but the Lady Bulldogs hung on to a hard-fought seven-point advantage.

In the final moments of the fourth period, it was nip and tuck, as the Lady Raiders made a real run at the home team out posting them 18-15.

At the final buzzer, the home team managed to hang in there 47-43, despite a series of moves by O’Neill that had the Sullivan West senior-recognition-night fans holding their breaths to the very end.

At one point in the final frame, the Lady Bulldogs were up 47-37, but O’Neill’s Haley Jackson nailed her fifth “three" of the game, which was offset by Sullivan West’s Izzy Nearing going three-for-three at the free-throw line.

Leading scorers for the Lady Bulldogs: McKinley Bernitt (13), Sabrina Martinez (13), Josephine Martinez (10).

O’Neill: Haley Jackson (15 points, 5/5 at the FTL), Ajay Nylander (9 points including a ‘3’), Starr Hayes (8).

And now a word from the FTL: SW 9/16 (56%), O’Neill 5/13 (38%).

“My girls played hard… both teams played tough… we came back with our shooting in the fourth period," said Lady Raiders coach Katie Biordi.

Pat Donovan, coach of the Lady Bulldogs, summed up the victory.

“We did what we had to do to win… we had a lot of the kids step up tonight to get the job done.”

It was a game that featured the “Lady Raiders of the Lost Ark,” as O’Neill’s Haley posted a total of five threes from outside the arch, but in the end left folks wondering "Indy, where were you?"