SIDNEY — The learning process continued for Sidney in a nonconference game on Monday.

The Yellow Jackets had a few rough stretches in lopsided league wins over Greenville and Troy last week. There were more rough stretches (especially defensively) on Monday, and while they nearly overcame them, their last bad stretch was costly.

Sidney battled back from an eight-point deficit to force overtime and later took the lead, but it struggled in the last two minutes and lost 69-65 to Lima Bath.

The Yellow Jackets led throughout the first half but had difficulty trying to slow the Wildkittens in the second. Bath took an eight-point lead by the end of the third quarter, but Sidney battled back and tied it 61-61 to force overtime.

Sidney took a 65-64 lead in overtime but didn’t score over the last two-and-a-half minutes.

While either leading or in a tie, Sidney went three consecutive possessions in which it forced a shot within 10 seconds and didn’t get an offensive rebound.

“We’ve got to be better with the lead down the stretch, handle the end-of-the-game scenario better,” Sidney coach Jamal Foster said. “… But hindsight is 20/20. This helped us grow. This type of game, it’s not the type of outcome we desired, but they battled. They played well enough to win it.

“This is going to help us grow up and is one of those games we needed so we’re ready in the later part of the season.”

Sidney junior guard Jordan Scully led the Yellow Jackets with a career-high 37 points. She scored 11 in the fourth quarter (including three 3-pointers) to help the squad rally.

Scully is one of three returning starters for the Yellow Jackets (3-1). She was leading Miami Valley League players with an average of nearly 15 points per game entering Monday and was also averaging four steals per game.

“She’s transitioning into being one of the better players in the area,” Foster said. “I think she’s already one of the better shooters in the state. Coming out today and having that type of performance, I’m not surprised. Nobody gets up more shots, practices more than Jordan Scully.

“She’s in here in her off time getting shots up. Whether she goes cold or hot, she’s consistent in her work ethic.”

Sidney’s other two returning starters are continuing to help lead the team.

Junior guard Larkyn Vordemark scored 11 points on Monday; she scored 19 in a 54-27 win over Troy on Saturday and had six rebounds and five steals. Senior guard Kiara Hudgins scored eight points on Monday; she scored 11 against Troy and had five steals as well as a team-high nine rebounds, despite being one of the squad’s shortest players at 5-foot-4.

Vordemark made three free throws with no time left in regulation on Monday to send the game to overtime.

Scully had a potential game-tying 3 blocked, but Vordemark came away with the ball on the right wing and was fouled trying to shoot as time expired.

Her first free throw was nothing-but-net and her second and third rattled in to tie the score and force overtime.

“She stepped up with ice,” Foster said. “That is what we call a legacy game. She came in there, made a play. It was either lose or keep going, and she made all three. She’s a big-time player. I’m really, really happy for her.”

Bath (3-0) trailed 25-21 at halftime but quickly took the lead in the third. Claire Foust, who sat on the bench in foul trouble most of the first half, scored nine points to help lead a 23-11 scoring edge in the quarter that gave the Wildkittens a 44-36 lead.

But Scully made a 3 to start the fourth, then made a layup after a steal to cut the gap to 44-41. After a basket by Foust, junior forward Kelis McNeal made a shot in the post and a free throw after being fouled to cut the gap to 46-44.

Sidney was within a few points the rest of the way until Vordemark tied it at the end of regulation.

McNeal made a basket with about 2:40 left to give Sidney a 65-64 lead.

“They showed some character, showed some grit,” Foster said. “They accepted coaching, they competed. I’m super proud of how they played, how they came back and made tough plays and clutch plays down the stretch.

But the Yellow Jackets didn’t score again, and Bath took control by drawing fouls. Annie Oliver split a pair of free throws to tie it, Izzy McDermott made two foul shots to give the Wildkittens a 67-65 lead and later made another pair to secure the victory.

“We just have to do a little bit better on execution,” Foster said. “I’ll coach better, and we’ll get better. They play really, really hard. It’s hard to take anything away from them.”

Foust led Bath with 22 points, all but two of which came in the second half. McDermott scored 19 and Oliver scored 13.

Sidney is scheduled to travel to Xenia (2-0) for an MVL game at 6 p.m. on Thursday. It’s the first game of a girls/boys doubleheader.

Reach Bryant Billing at 937-538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.