It’s not that the Elsik girls basketball team has sympathy for any opponent.

But the Rams could have been forgiven Tuesday night if they looked at backyard rival Hastings’ bench and salivated over outmanning them 15-7.

Yes, seven.

Hastings has hung in the District 18-5A race all season with that almost-unheard of amount of players, and Tuesday the Bears outraced Elsik to a six-point first-quarter lead. But then the Rams utilized their press and completely turned the game around, outscoring Hastings by 18 points the rest of the game to take a 53-41 victory.

Trailing 19-13 entering the second quarter, Elsik (24-6 overall, 8-2 district) opened the period with a 13-4 run and kept Hastings (21-6, 5-4) at bay thanks to improved shooting and a zone defense.

“Whether they had seven or 17 girls we were gonna press, make them use the kids off the bench and hopefully make the guards make decisions with the ball that maybe they’re not prepared to take,” Rams coach LaShawn Johnson said.

Texas A&M commit Adaora Elonu scored 12 of her game-high 18 points in the first half to pace the Rams, including a pretty floater late in the first half followed by a LaShira Couvson leaner in the closing seconds for a 30-25 lead.

“We weren’t playing our game (early),” Elonu said. “I think (the quarter break) put a spark into us. Once it was a tie game, we got the lead back and we had to wear them out. Then everything started to fall into place.”

Elsik remained two games behind Cinco Ranch (20-7, 9-0), which hosted Morton Ranch Tuesday night.

The Rams have one remaining shot at the Cougars, next Tuesday at Cinco Ranch.

Pending the outcome of Katy’s game against Alief Taylor, Hastings remained a game ahead of Katy for the fourth and final tournament spot in 18-5A.

Hastings got within 30-29 two minutes into the second half but never closer.

Elonu scored on an up-and-under shot and added a 3-point play to push the lead back to 34-29, and a high layup off the glass moments later made it a 10-point lead.

“We tried to get the ball inside, play some outside and be patient offensively,” Johnson said. “We did a better job defensively more than anything. We were just getting beat off the dribble. They were taking it to us hard to the hoop pretty early so we just switched our defenses and it just worked out. We started containing them, making them take the shots we wanted them to take instead of them getting the shots they wanted.”

Epiphany Smith scored 14, Lakeiva Council 12 and Garkeiva Council 11 for Hastings.

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