In the game of basketball, how you finish is more important than how you start.

No truer words could describe the Scotland junior varsity girls basketball team Monday night.

The Lady Scots outscored Pine Forest, 44-23, in the second half to avenge their lone loss of the season, 56-41 over the Lady Trojans.

Pine Forest came out in a full-court press in the first quarter to fluster Scotland (3-1) and it worked to their advantage, as they took a ten-point lead (12-2) after the first eight minutes of play.

The Lady Trojans had a seven-point lead (14-7) before a basket and a three-pointer from Shonte Deese cut the lead to just two (14-12) with just over two minutes to play before halftime.

Pine Forest would take a six-point lead (18-12) into the locker room.

Back-to-back baskets from Sctoland’s Qua Diggs made it a 21-20 game with 5:30 left in the third.

The Lady Scots took their first lead (23-21) of the game with 4:50 left in the quarter on a three-pointer from Deese, which started a 10-0 run, highlighted by a lay-up from Quintavia Deberry, who made the basket, despite absorbing the contact.

Scotland took an eight-point lead (32-24) into the final quarter.

The Lady Scots started out the fourth on a 9-4 run, increasing their lead to 13 (41-28) with 4:38 to go, forcing Pine Forest to take a time-out.

Following the breather, Scotland built up their biggest lead of the game, 49-32, less than two minutes later.

The Lady Trojans cut the lead as close as 12 (53-41), but that would be as close as they would get.

Shantel Smith led the way for Scotland with 14 points, while Deese was not far behind with 13. Brie Matthew and Diggs just missed out on double figures with eight and seven respectively.

The Lady Scots will be back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to Anson County at 5 p.m.