UNIONVILLE - The Community Viqueens fought back from an 11-point third quarter deficit to get within one in the final minute, but could not get over the hump as the Stewart County Lady Rebels defeated the Viqueens 57-53 in the semifinals of the Region 6-AA tournament Monday night.

Community (13-12) could not overcome a 16-0 Lady Rebel run and a 15-0 deficit from the free throw line as its season ended with the close loss.

Haley Mitchell scored five points and M. J. Simmons added four as the teams battled to gain the upper hand in the opening quarter.

The game was tied 11-11 heading to the second quarter.

With Mitchell and Zoey Dixon each scoring five points, the Viqueen offense got into gear in the quarter.

Community scored 19 points, including three treys as the Viqueens scored the last five points to take a 30-27 halftime lead.

Simmons scored 13 seconds into the third quarter to put the Viqueens up 32-27, but it would be almost six minutes before Community would score again as the Lady Rebels scored 16 straight points to go up 43-32.

Brianna Beech broke the ice for the Viqueens with a trey at the 1:54 mark.

Community scored the final five points of the quarter and trailed 43-37 heading to the final quarter.

Stewart County increased its advantage to 50-42 with 3:28 remaining before the Viqueens made a run.

Led by seven fourth quarter points from Simmons, the Viqueens went on a 5-0 run to cut the Lady Rebel lead to 50-47.

After a Stewart County free throw, Simmons connected on a trey to pull Community within one at 51-50 with 35 seconds left.

The Lady Rebels went to the line often in the final seconds as the Viqueens were forced to foul.

Community could not connect on a one-and-one and a three-point attempt as Stewart County used four free throws to go up 55-50 with 14 seconds left.

Addison Brothers added a trey with five seconds remaining to pull the Viqueens within two at 55-53, but two Lady Rebel free throws with one second left sealed the deal for Stewart County.

Kaitlyn Bramlett led three Lady Rebels in double figures with 18 points.

Simmons led the Viqueens with 19 points while Mitchell added 13.

Stewart County was 15-of-23 at the foul line while the Viqueens were 0-of-3.

***Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens on the fight of his team to get back into the game:

It showed how much fight we really have. And we did it all year. We showed every team no matter what the score is, if there's time still on the clock, we're here to play.

***Pierce on the final minute:

We cut it to one, but missed a loose ball and the ball bounced their way at the end. We got behind a little too much.

***Pierce on being the only District 12-AA team to advance to the region semifinals:

We were in the final 32 and were just a couple of points from being in the final 16. We came up short, but I think this group will come back next year pretty strong.

***Pierce on the last game for his lone senior, Brianna Beech:

She really grew up this year and was a great teammate. She was a sophomore when I got here. I really pushed her and she's very coachable. She's been a good teammate to the young girls. I couldn't ask for a better point guard for the three years she was here for me.

Stewart Co. 11 16 16 14 - 57

Community 11 19 7 16 - 53

Stewart Co.: Kaitlyn Bramlett 18, Karlee Bramlett 14, Tori Hale 13, Adalia Hewell 8, Rylee Gafford 2, Emma Page 2, Jenifer Diehl, Jenna Williams, Elizabeth Gwynn.

Community: M. J. Simmons 19, Haley Mitchell 13, Brianna Beech 9, Zoey Dixon 5, Breanna Whitaker 4, Addison Brothers 3.

3-Point goals: Stewart Co. (4): Hale 3, Hewell; Community (9): Mitchell 3, Beech 3, Simmons, Dixon, Brothers.

Halftime score: Community 30, Stewart Co. 27.