Washington was without guard Tierra Wiggins, who was in concussion protocol on Wednesday. A number of Lady Pack shooters stepped up in a 61-58 loss to a familiar North Pitt squad.

Wiggins, one of three seniors on the team, brings much more than her double-digit scoring average. Losing her was a blow to the chemistry that makes Washington’s transition offense go.

No one noticed that more than her sister and fellow senior, Cierra Wiggins.

“It’s hard to be out there without here. I still stay strong even though she’s not on the court playing,” she said. “I still keep my head in the game because I’m a leader on the team. I just try to stay focused and play.”

Added Biggs: “We were missing 16 or 17 points without Tierra. The girls stepped up well. … The team picked it up. We picked it up and kept in the fight. We were just a little bit short.”

Wiggins, who is working through an injury of her own, struggled shooting the ball in the first half. It didn’t seem to have an affect on her ability to make plays. Even though her shots weren’t falling, Wiggins was able to create for her teammates.

Washington saw upperclassmen Daria Jones and Respess bring a steady presence. Wiggins’ vision helped the likes of Cyntavea Blackledge and Kizoria Redmond rise to the occasion. Redmond knocked down consecutive 3-point attempts in the second quarter to build a 20-12 lead at the time.

North Pitt was able to battle its way back into the game. The Lady Panthers took a 34-28 lead early in the third quarter before Blackledge completed back-to-back 3-point plays of her own. She finished a layup through a foul, added the free throw, then nailed a triple shortly after. That cut the visitors’ advantage to 36-34 midway through the third.

“It’s a maturity thing with (Redmond). She’s been with us for a while,” Biggs said. “She knows how to play. She’s sometimes been in the background because we have so many girls. She was ready for the moment.

“Cyntavea, she was a player for JV. She stepped right into the role. It was great to have her step up the way she did.”

That appeared to help Wiggins find her stroke as she hit a 3 of her own. The Lady Pack’s defense struggled to keep pace at times, but its shooting kept the game close.

Wiggins also had a few key makes down the stretch in the fourth. North Pitt squeaked out the win thanks to senior Nyjanique Langley. She capped off a stellar offensive showing with a 3-point play that broke a 58-58 tie with 15 seconds left.

The shortcoming was disheartening, but Biggs said the game still yielded positive momentum. Washington will need it as Monday’s return trip to North Pitt marks the beginning of a stretch of three games — including the first two in 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference action — in three days.