NAMPA — Snake River was the underdog Saturday in the 3A state championship game, and it was a role the Panthers embraced.

Playing a loaded Sugar-Salem team that won two head-to-head regular-season meetings by an average of 18 points, Snake River refused to back down, trading blows all the way to the final buzzer. When it sounded, the Panthers held their heads high as Sugar-Salem escaped with a 42-39 victory at the Ford Idaho Center.

“People were overlooking us, but I was okay with it,” said senior guard Kelsey Higginson, who led Snake River with 15 points. “Our team knew what we could do, and we knew we could compete with them. Some shots didn’t fall our way tonight, but hats off to Sugar. They played a great game.”

The game was a back-and-forth battle from the beginning. Neither team led by more than three points in the first half, which ended in a 22-22 tie.

Things stayed tight throughout the third quarter, but Snake River found itself in foul trouble, committing seven in the first six minutes. Sugar-Salem took a 31-27 lead into the fourth quarter — the largest lead by either team to that point.

A 3-pointer from Macie Knapp extended the Diggers’ lead to seven early in the fourth, but Snake River refused to go away. After Higginson set up 3-pointers by Mia Harper and Josee Steadman, a put-back layup by Harper brought the Panthers within 36-35 with 1:36 to go.

That was as close as Snake River could get. Higginson fouled out with 15 seconds left, sending Sarah Maughan to the line with Sugar-Salem up 40-38. Maughan missed both shots, but senior post Savanah Crane grabbed the rebound and scored — part of a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double — to clinch it for the Diggers.

“That was the play of the game,” Sugar-Salem coach Crystal Dayley said. “Snake River played a great game and really killed us on the rebounds, which doesn’t usually happen to us. But our kids are fighters, and they found a way to win.”

Harper scored 10 points and Abby Morgan added six points and nine rebounds for Snake River, which finishes the season 19-7. The Panthers won the rebounding battle 32-24, but they shot 31 percent and committed 18 turnovers.

“We didn’t shoot the ball that well tonight, but we had our chances to win,” Snake River coach Jeff Steadman said. “I’m proud of the girls, and I told them to focus on the good things we did, because I felt like it was a good game.”

Knapp finished with 13 points for Sugar-Salem (25-2), which won its fifth 3A title since 2007.

3A state title game, end 1stQ: Snake River 11, Sugar-Salem 9. Last pts of quarter were from this bucket by Snake River's Abby Morgan #idpreps pic.twitter.com/0Ci8Q3OlGt

— Marlowe Hereford (@mwhereford) February 17, 2018

Macie Knapp putback gives Sugar-Salem 13-12 lead over Snake River with 5:28 left in 2ndQ #idpreps pic.twitter.com/4lJaobzisC

— Marlowe Hereford (@mwhereford) February 17, 2018

Kayla Luke makes it 18-15 Sugar with 3:09 left in 2ndQ. Sugar now leads Snake River 20-17 with 1:37 left in the half #idpreps pic.twitter.com/XZbGUMIgr0

— Marlowe Hereford (@mwhereford) February 17, 2018

The Diggers celebrate at the buzzer #idpreps pic.twitter.com/y2BNZbufhi

— Marlowe Hereford (@mwhereford) February 18, 2018