Unfortunately, fatigue got the better of the Chieftains late in the game.

Tonganoxie broke out to a 16-7 lead after the first quarter, but Jeff West came back in the second quarter to trail, 25-21, at the half.

Still, the Chieftains kept the advantage into the fourth quarter, but Tonganoxie couldn’t answer the Tigers’ late run and eventually fell, 52-46.

“I think maybe at the end our legs got a little tired,” Tonganoxie senior Katie Jeannin said. “But we gave it our all and battled hard.”

Tonganoxie played on consecutive days after defeating Lansing in a tight contest Friday.

Jeff West, meanwhile, defeated the Free State junior varsity team on Thursday because the Firebirds had a regular-season game already scheduled for Friday.

Tonganoxie kept the Tigers in check for much of the game, but a late Jeff West spurt — and junior Courtney Sutton — prevented the Chieftains from winning the inaugural girls tournament.

The Tigers went on a 9-3 run in the final four minutes. And Sutton, who wears No. 13 for the Tigers, was far from unlucky for Jeff West.

“We battled,” THS coach Randy Kraft said. “I was really proud of the kids, but that No. 13, she doesn’t miss from the line, and unfortunately we kept sending her to the line. We were either even or controlled about every facet of the game except getting her to the line, and that was the story right there.”

Sutton, who later was named tournament MVP, scored 21 against the Chieftains. She also went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Freshman Ali Pistora again led the Chieftains in scoring with 16, while junior Addie Heim nearly cracked double figures with nine.

In a game that included 10 ties, Saturday’s contest was a hard-fought battle for two non-conference teams who haven’t faced each other in recent years.

The squads, however, will battle again Friday when the Chieftains travel to Meriden.

Jeannin said Tonganoxie (7-4) is eager for the rematch.

“It’s our turn to beat them at their house,” she said.