Cumberland County High School’s varsity girls basketball team hosted Altavista High School on Friday afternoon and looked poised to claim its second win of the season at halftime, but the second half told a different story that led to a 38-33 Lady Dukes loss.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Cumberland Head Coach Omar Liggins said. “First half, I think we played pretty well. The second half, not that we played bad, but I just think we had too many turnovers and too many missed free throws.”

Lady Dukes junior guard Nikki Hurt, a leader on the team, earned her fourth foul near the start of the third quarter, sidelining her until the final period, but Liggins said he did not see that as affecting the outcome of the game.

“I just think we had way too many turnovers in that second half to beat anybody,” he said. “… We probably had every bit of 15 to 20 turnovers in that second half just by me remembering what we had out there, and you’re not going to beat nobody like that, especially a team like Altavista that’s fundamentally sound, well coached and a good group of girls.”

Cumberland led 24-14 at halftime and 30-24 after the third quarter.

“If you look at our scoring, three (points) in the first quarter, three in the fourth quarter — there was your game right there,” Liggins said.

The Lady Dukes scored 21 of their 33 points in the second quarter.

As for what was going right in that period, Liggins said, “We just came out with intensity. We moved the ball well. We shot well in the first (half), and then we came out at halftime, (and) we didn’t do any of that.”

In the loss, Hurt led Cumberland with nine points, junior forward Sade’ Gregory added eight and sophomore guard Janaia Trent scored seven.

The Lady Dukes’ holiday tournament was canceled, but Friday’s game against the Lady Colonels made up one of the two games both teams would have played in the event.

The loss dropped Cumberland to 1-4 for the season. The Lady Dukes’ one victory — a 32-31 Dec. 7 triumph over host Amelia County High School — came despite them committing 30 turnovers.

“That’s been the battle of our season right now is turnovers and missed free throws,” Liggins said.

Cumberland was set to have two practice sessions prior to its next game.

“It’ll be some very intense practices,” Liggins said Friday.

On Wednesday, the Lady Dukes visit Buckingham County High School (3-1) at 7 p.m.