Trailing early in the fourth period, the Tippecanoe girls basketball team needed a strong eight minutes if they were going to get a huge non-conference victory over traditional powerhouse Versailles over Christmas break.

A 20-12 stretch over the final 5:52 was just what the doctor ordered as the Red Devils escaped with a 52-44 victory over the Tigers.

“It was nice to get a win tonight and we talked pregame about what high school basketball really is, and it’s big moments in the fourth quarter,” Tipp coach Julian Grasso said. “It is going to come down to the fourth quarter, getting stops and getting key plays on offense.”

“The team did that tonight. When things are challenging, that’s when you play your best. That is one of our goals as a team and we did that in the fourth quarter.”

The Red Devils jumped out quickly 6-0 in the game’s first 90 seconds before Versailles tied the game at 8-8 with 4:02 left in the opening period.

Versailles used a 13-0 run over nearly five minutes to double the score on Tipp at 16-8 before Abbi Mader ended the run with a score in the closing seconds.

“When Emily got dinged up and when she went out, there was a lull in the game and Versailles got comfortable,” Grasso said. “They stepped up and played well and we expected a battle and that is what we got.”

Tipp had a productive second quarter, holding Versailles to four points in the period as they closed the gap at the half. Ashley Aselage pulled Tipp to within one at half with a score in the closing seconds of the period.

Grace Osborne had a big third period for Versailles as they clung to a slim lead heading to the fourth, Reese Hoover scored four points in the third, as did Mader as Tipp trailed 31-29 heading to the final eight minutes.

Tipp went on a big 10-0 run to open a seven point lead, which included a big three from Liv Hiser. The Tigers made another run to close the Tipp lead to 39-37. But four big free throws from Emily Aselage, including two on a technical foul put the Red Devils in front 43-37 with 2:58 left. Tipp pushed the lead to 11 and never looked back.

Mader led Tipp with 13 points, Ella Combs added nine, with Aselage and Hoover each scoring eight.

Osborne scored 17 to lead Versailles with eight from Taylor Wagner.

“Early in the year, we took some losses and while all of those losses sting, it allows you to look at your weaknesses and where you need to get better,” Grasso said. “If we don’t take those losses early in the season, we aren’t able to come back and beat Versailles tonight.”