POULSBO — Nervousness, tenacity … timid, explosive … high-scoring, mass turnovers … defensive prowess, offense finesse … a blowout and a comeback … the latest Poulsbo and Kingston junior high basketball game was the epitome of a rivalry contest.

The Poulsbo Lady Panthers had a tough contest staring them in the face Tuesday as they took on the reigning league champion Kingston Lady Cavaliers.

The Cavs, on the other hand, put their third undefeated season on the line and barely escaped with it intact after clutching a 40-37 victory.

“That’s what you live for. That’s what it’s all about,” KJH head coach Tony Chisholm said with a relieved smile after the game.

But in the early goings of the contest, his smile was a straight line of nerves, indicative of the Cavaliers’ first quarter performance. Poulsbo, on the other hand, began with a wave of confidence and built a 10-point lead.

“Our shots were going in. That was definitely different from the (CK) game,” PJH coach Karla DeVries noted as a contributing factor to the early Panther poise. “Defensively we set the tone.”

The Panthers’ prowess on defense hardly allowed any Cavalier offense and forced plenty of turnovers. And even when the Cavs found an open shot, it seemed their hoop was no larger than a dime.

Ashley Reddican scored the first red points of the game from the free-throw line with just 44 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

While it’s offense was silent, Kingston embraced its rock steady defense that kept the team alive. The Cavs ended the first frame with two steals, and started the second with another which provided Reddican the chance to score their first field goal of the game. Two more steals early in the second quarter helped put the Cavs back in the game. With 3:22 left in the half, PJH’s lead had been cut to 14-11.

“Composure,” DeVries noted as the key component of the game for the Panthers. “And not just down the stretch but for the whole game.”

Despite the Cavs’ comeback, Poulsbo remained in front 20-17 at the halftime buzzer.

Even when Kingston opened the second half with a snarling full-court press which quickly racked up a steal and a bucket to pull within one, the Panthers stayed as cool as a winter’s night.

Airballs, rimshots, steals, blocks, turnovers, throw-aways and a few fast breaks filled the third quarter, but the scoreboard took a break as the tally stuck at 19-20 throughout the bulk of the frame.

A late steal by Kingston’s Sophia Baetz converted into a layup to give the Cavs a one-point lead into the fourth.

“(The comeback) tells us that we are a strong team and, in the face of being flustered, we can pick ourselves up and not worry about the score and just play,” said KJH’s leading scorer Arissan Ugles, who had 11 points. “We just had to relax and play solid defense.”

But after a Jordan Chargualaf three-pointer, a KJH turnover and a PJH steal, the momentum swung Poulsbo’s way as the Panthers pulled away to a 27-23 lead. Ugles helped bring the Cavs back up to a 27-27 tie with 3:19 left in the game.

The teams traded buckets down the stretch as the crowd exploded back and forth on the edge of their seats. But the end of regulation brought no resolve and the game headed to overtime in a 31-31 deadlock.

Darcy Hughes, who was the leading scorer in the game with 18 points, took over for Poulsbo in the extra frame. She started the period with a jumper and each time Kingston scored, she was back to the other end on the attack to the rack.

Hughes scored six points in OT and she stood focused at the line with nine seconds left. Kingston was left virtually helpless to protect its 39-37 lead.

But the free-throws drew the back rim and the Cavs prolonged their quest for a third perfect season.

“Darcy was outstanding. She really stepped up as a leader,” DeVries said. “That’s the kind of leadership we needed. That game gave us tremendous confidence even though we lost. It showed (the players) how good they can be.”

“Our team showed a true sense of character and pride,” Chisholm said of the Cavs’ comeback. “When you are a champion, you just believe.”

Both teams now have March 16 circled in red ink as the next time the teams will face each other. Tip off is set for 3 p.m. at Kingston Junior High.