The Atlantic girls basketball team got within four points of Kuemper Catholic for a long stretch of the fourth quarter but couldn’t get the key basket needed to get closer. Kuemper came away with a 44-38 win and improved to 2-4 on the season.

It was a very close game throughout the first half with both offenses struggling mightily against zone defenses from both squads. Kuemper hit a couple shots in the last minute of the half to lead 17-15 at the break. The Knights then opened the second half on a 7-0 run but Atlantic quickly responded with an 10-2 run to get back within 1. Kuemper led by 5 at the end of the third and hung on with a lead near that mark the rest of the way.

Akuet Malek led the Knights with 12 points, Catherine Mayhall had 11, and Kora Thomsen added 10. The Knights will travel to Greene County on Saturday.

Atlantic got 20 points from Paytn Harter and 13 from Jada Jensen. The Trojans fall to 1-6 on the season and will next up host Lewis Central on Friday before traveling to Nodaway Valley on Saturday.