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The scourge of the free throw – it has been a nagging problem for coaches since the beginning of basketball time.

If you can make most of your free throws, you can win even when you are not playing that well. If you miss most of your free throws, you can lose even when you are playing well enough to win.

Hot Springs Savage Heat girls coach Richard Jackson felt the wrath of the missed free throw in both games his team played last week, overcoming the charity stripe blues to win 38-34 in St. Regis Thursday but falling 51-22 to Charlo in the Spa City Saturday.

The Heat made only 9 of 25 free throws against St. Regis, and just 6 of 19 versus Charlo, Savage Heat coach Richard Jackson reports. The final percentage of 34% for the weekend did not sit well with Jackson.

“We have to shoot better from the line, that will be a focus in practice this week,” he said. “I was really pleased with our effort otherwise in St. Regis, but we just did not play very well, and shot badly from the field and the line against Charlo, and I am not sure why.

“Maybe we were a little too up for the game, and Charlo came out on fire, they always seem to play well against us,” he added. “But I know we are capable of playing much better than we showed that night.”

The game in St. Regis was Hot Springs’ to lose as the Tigers took a 29-23 lead into the fourth quarter. The Heat changed all that by winning the final eight minutes 15-5.

McKennzie Cannon recorded another double double in leading Hot Springs to the win, scoring 14 points and pulling down 14 rebounds, in addition to grabbing three steals, Sydney Jackson added six points, two assists and five steals, Katelyn Christensen and Sage Jackson were good for seven points each, Brianna Gray three and Lizzy Fisher two.

Madison Kelly led St. Regis with a game-high 16 points and Kylee Thompson and Baylee Pruitt added six apiece.

Against Charlo, Christensen bucketed a team-high nine points, pilfered three steals and dished out three assists, Sydney Jackson had four points and five rebounds, Cannon three points and four blocks, Gray three points, Fisher two points and seven boards and Sage Jackson one point.

Kaitlin Cox led Charlo with 14 points, Tearia Truman scored 11 and Live Smith nine.

The Heat have two 14C conference games on tap this week, visiting the Two Eagle River Eagles in Pablo Thursday and hosting Arlee next Tuesday. The Arlee game was originally set for Jan. 15 but has been rescheduled for Jan. 22.