ROCHESTER &045; With only three victories and the end of the season fast approaching, Albert Lea High School girls’ basketball coach Karol Hansen was a bit concerned the Tigers could become apathetic and play out the season.

They didn’t. At least not Friday night.

Coming off disappointing losses to Fairmont and Winona, Hansen said the Tigers showed improvement while falling 43-36 in a Big Nine game at Rochester Century.

&uot;We definitely played better,&uot; said Hansen. &uot;Century’s a big, physical team, and I was proud of how our girls played after struggling at Fairmont and Winona. We just need to have four quarters. If we do, we can play with a lot of teams in the Big Nine.&uot;

The Tigers stayed with the Panthers until halftime, when they trailed 20-19, but they managed only two points in the third quarter and faced a 32-21 deficit entering the fourth.

&uot;The third quarter just killed us,&uot; said Hansen. &uot;I don’t know why. You look at the shot chart, and we took good shots, they just were not falling.&uot;

The Tigers tried to rally in the fourth with three, three-point baskets, two by Nicole Rafdal, but the seven-point final margin was the closest they got.

Albert Lea’s statistical leaders: Danielle Rankin nine points, 14 rebounds; Amy Ravenhorst nine points, eight rebounds, four assists; Amber Edwards four rebounds, two steals; Jenny Hovendick six points, three rebounds, two steals, two assists; Jess Hanson four assists, three rebounds; Heather Stegenga two points, six rebounds; Rafdal six points.

&uot;We definitely took a step forward, and we played better team basketball than we have in a while,&uot; said Hansen.

It was also an improvement from the Tigers’ last meeting with Century, a 42-28 loss at Albert Lea.

Century improved to 4-4 in the Big Nine and 7-7 overall.

The Tigers, 1-9 in the Big Nine, play at Owatonna Tuesday.