HILLMAN — In a North Star League battle that lived up to the rivalry’s reputation, the Hillman varsity girls basketball team fell just one point short in a heart-wrenching 53-52 loss to the Atlanta Huskies on Tuesday in Hillman.

The contest was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Tigers fight until the final buzzer, but the Huskies managed to escape with the narrow victory,

Madelyn Oswald led Hillman with 17 points, six rebounds, four steals, and three assists. Maci Klein contributed 11 points;, Abigail Oswald added nine points, and Brook Linseman chipped in with five points.

The Tigers have a short break to regroup before hitting the road next week for matchups against Mio and AuGres.