One thing was guaranteed Friday night in Bland.

It was that the third-place plaque from the Bland 8th Grade Girls Basketball Tournament would stay in Maries County going to either Bland’s Lady Bears or Vienna’s Lady Eagles.

Nursing a 18-16 lead after three quarters, Bland edged the Lady Eagles 5-4 in the final six minutes to post a 23-20 victory over their Maries County rivals.

Leading 8-7 after one quarter from Bland Middle School, a Neveah Kinsey 3-pointer for Bland and a Brookelynn Mercer free throw for Vienna accounted for all of the second-quarter scoring giving Bland an 11-8 halftime lead.

Behind six third-quarter points from Mercer in the third quarter, Vienna edged the Lady Bears 8-7 trimming Bland’s lead to two points with one quarter of basketball left in the third-place game.

A Kinsey bucket and three points from Johanna Roberds for Bland countered two Mercer buckets for Vienna helping the Lady Bears keep the third-place trophy from leaving the gym.

Aside from a Salene George bucket in the third quarter, Mercer scored Vienna’s remaining 21 points to lead all scorers in the third-place game.

Netting eight of her points in the first half, Kinsey led the Lady Bears with a team-high 14 points.

Roberds did all of her damage in the second half scoring three points each in the third and fourth quarters giving her six markers for the game.

Rounding out the scoring for Bland with three first-quarter points was Natalie Gehlert.

Also playing for Bland in the tournament were Mea Jones, Miranda Sanders and Adison Seaver.

Vienna players competing in the Bland Tournament along with George and Mercer were Christina Aguilar, Karleigh Brisco, Aliegh Griffin, Kayla Hertzing, Eva Hollis, Marissa Hollis, Kiara King, Cloey Ohlendorf, Lakayela Parmeley, Alayna Patton, Aubrey Reeves, Jaedyn Schell, Jaelee Stricklan and Madison Weeks.