Playing back-to-back games against the top teams in the Six Rivers West and the Six Rivers East made for a tough stretch for coach Michael DiPadova’s River Ridge girls’ basketball team, who fell to 2-6 in league play with recent losses to Belmont and Argyle/Pecatonica.

On Tuesday, Jan. 13, the Timberwolves traveled to Belmont, where they were handed a 53-35 loss by the host Braves (6-1, 8-5).

Trailing 16-10 after one half of play, coach DiPadova’s squad was outscored 37-25 in the second half, as the Braves secured an 18-point victory, and improved to 5-1 in league play.

Erin Adrian led the Timberwolves with 14 points, followed closely by Ava Nies with 12, as the two combined to score 26 of their team’s 35 points.

Nies led River Ridge in the first half, scoring eight of her team’s 10 points, and Adrian led the Timberwolves in the second half, scoring 12 of her team’s 25 points.

“The girls showed a lot of heart, with injuries and foul trouble to our key players, and they took advantage of the substitutions,” said coach DiPadova.

On the following Friday night, coach DiPadova’s squad hosted the state’s second-ranked squad from Argyle/Pecatonica, and did so without two starters who missed the game with injuries.

Without Nies and Groom, the shorthanded Timberwolves suffered a 70-13 loss, getting five points each from McKenzie Taylor and Erin Adrian, along with three points from Layla Gage.

Argyle/Pecatonica got all 70 of their points from four payers, led by Brooke Wellnitz with 25 and followed by Kylie Butler with 20, Avari Steiner 15 and Loretta Tisch eight.

This Thursday night the Lady T-Wolves will travel to Benton.