Ice-cold shooting and foul problems helped bring the Pinecrest girls’ season-opening five-game winning streak to an end Friday night.

Western Harnett star Ariel Bursey had something to do with it too, scoring 24 points in the 50-33 loss for the Patriots who led by as many as nine points in the first half. The home team went two for 25 from the field after the intermission and was shut out in the fourth quarter.

Shaniqua Collins led the Patriots with 11 points. Janea Williams added 10 points and 14 rebounds.

The Patriots were almost methodical in building an early 17-8 lead against the now 6-0 Eagles. Collins, Jennie Joy and Keegan Lynch each sank a three in the first period, and Collins went three for four at the foul line. The Patriots were still up by seven at 24-17 late in the second period after Joy went coast-to-coast for a lay-up.

The visitors drew to within 28-27 at the intermission. Joy, the Pats’ floor leader, left the game midway through the third quarter with her third foul. She returned before the period was over, but quickly picked up her fourth with the Patriots trailing 34-31.

Williams cut the deficit to one with a strong move inside as the quarter came to a close. Those were the last two points of the game for the home team.

“Jennie and Keegan both got in foul trouble early,” Patriot coach Mike Loutzenheiser said. “I thought the fourth foul on Jennie was a tough foul for us to take. She had just come back in the game.”

The momentum was now all on the side of the Eagles. Bursey was unstoppable inside, scoring 13 points as the Eagles closed out the game with a 16-0 run.

Contributing to the poor second half shooting percentage by the Patriots was shot selection that included quick tosses from the outside and prayerful drives to the basket.

“I think we got out of our game a little bit and maybe tried to do things we shouldn’t try to do,” Loutzenheiser said. “In this game you’re going to have nights when the ball just won’t fall through the hoop. That just happens.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and work hard in practice on Monday. We’ll try to get better and hopefully get some wins next week.”

The Patriots travel to Red Springs on Tuesday. They complete the week with a 6 p.m. home game against Overhills on Wednesday.

Western Harnett 10 17 7 16 50

Pinecrest 17 11 5 0 33

Western Harnett — Womack 1 1-3 3, Womble 5 0-0 10, Williams 1 1-1 3, Trapp 4 2-4 10, Elliott 0 0-0 0, Bursey 10 4-8 24, Townsend 0 0-2 0. Totals 21 8-16 50. Pinecrest — Joy 3 0-0 7, Painter 0 1-2 1, Lynch 1 0-0 3, Smith 0 1-2 1, Collins 3 4-6 11, Williams 5 0-0 10, McKenzie 0 0-0 0, Little 0 0-0 0, Wrencher 0 0-0 0, Peyton 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 6-10 33. Three-point goals: (PC) 3 (Joy, Lynch, Collins).

Threes, Hustle Power Boys

The Pinecrest boys used the three ball and some hustling play at both ends of the court by Antonio Jones to separate from Western Harnett early in Friday night’s basketball game at James Moore Gym.

Eleven Patriots got into the scoring column in the 70-53 victory led by Faronte’ Drakeford with 20 points. Stacy Slade led the Eagles with 26. The Pats improved to 5-2 while the visitors dropped to 0-6.

Jones had a pair of steals, four rebounds, an assist and seven points to help energize his teammates in the first quarter. With the Patriots leading 7-4, treys by Traivon Williams, Jones and Juwan Wilson increased the margin to 16-8.

Drakeford was a force inside in the middle quarters as the Patriots built their lead to 39-20 at halftime and to as many as 22 points in the third period. Slade sparked a 15-3 run to close the gap to 48-38 early in the fourth. But two acrobatic put-backs in a row by Damion Pride, and a steal and dunk by Drakeford, quickly increased the margin to a more than comfortable 54-38.

Jones finished with 11 points and Williams scored all nine of his points on threes. The Patriots are scheduled to travel to Red Springs on Tuesday.

They complete the pre-holiday portion of the schedule with a home game against Overhills on Wednesday.

Western Harnett 8 12 16 17 53

Pinecrest 16 23 9 22 70

Western Harnett – Slade 12 2-5 26, Pratt 0 0-0 0, Russell 0 3-4 3, McNeill 1 1-2 3, Trapp 3 3-7 9, Freeman 5 0-0 10, Buie 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 9-18 53. Pinecrest – Wallace 2 3-6 7, McLaughlin 0 0-0 0, Drakeford 6 8-11 20, M. Smith 1 0-0 2, Jones 5 0-0 11, Wilson 1 0-1 3, Pride 3 0-0 6, Williams 3 0-0 9, Cummings 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 1-2 1, Barnes 1 1-2 3, Tolson 2 0-0 4, McPhaul 0 0-0 0, Scales 1 2-2 4, J. Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 15-24 70. Three-point goals: (PC) 5 (Williams 3, Wilson, Jones).

Contact Charlie Bergmann at cbergmann@nc.rr.com.