Bad things can transpire when you let the opposing team keep the score close in an early-season basketball game.

That’s exactly what happened to the Oak Harbor High School girls Saturday evening when they took on the Bellingham Red Raiders in a non-league game.

The Wildcats (1-1) played a good first half and held a 25-21 halftime advantage, but things fell apart after the break.

Bellingham out-scored Oak Harbor 24-14 in the third quarter and hung on at the end to record a 54-49 victory.

“We didn’t play the way we usually play and didn’t do the things we usually do,” coach Brett McLeod said.

Erin Peterson scored the first basket for Bellingham to open the game, but Cheyenne Tubo nailed a shot from 3-point range to start a 7-0 Oak Harbor run.

The Red Raiders came right back with a 6-0 run to hold an 8-7 lead before Jessica Denmon hit another basket from downtown to break the run and put the Wildcats back in front. The first quarter came to an end with Oak Harbor ahead 12-10.

The Wildcats opened the second period scoring five-straight points to take a 17-10 lead, only to have Bellingham battle back once again.

Midway through the quarter, Denmon scored five consecutive points to push the lead to 23-14 and the Wildcats went into the halftime break holding a 25-21 advantage.

Denmon finished the game tied for high-scoring honors with 18 points.

“We made too many turnovers tonight, the next game we are going to pick it up,” she said.

Oak Harbor became unraveled in the third quarter committing eight turnovers, nearly every one of which resulted in a basket.

“Turnovers just killed us the whole game,” McLeod said. “We got into foul trouble and that hurt us, too.”

Bellingham went on a 16-2 run and out scored the Wildcats 24-14 in the period, to head into the final eight minutes of action with a 45-39 lead.

Oak Harbor tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter shaving the lead to three points, 51-49, but the Red Raiders managed to hit free throws in the waning moments to claim the victory.

“We gave them some confidence,” McLeod said. “You let a team hang around and give them confidence, that’s what happens.”

Nicole Mowbray was the second player in double figures for Oak Harbor scoring 13 points, before fouling out with just over two minutes remaining in the game.

Peterson scored 18 points for Bellingham, with teammates Devin Pearsall and Kristen Baker hitting for 16 and 10 points, respectively.

Oak Harbor opens WesCo North play Friday, hosting Cascade in a 7:30 p.m. game.

Bellingham 54, Oak Harbor 49

Bellingham 10 11 24 9 — 54

Oak Harbor 12 13 14 10 — 49

Bellingham (54) — Erin Peterson 8 2-2 18, Devin Pearsall 6 1-2 16, Kristen Baker 3 4-8 10, Gowan 2 0-0 4, West 2 2-2 6, Mallahan 0 0-0 0, Kaui 0 0-0 0, Twiford 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 9-14 59.

Oak Harbor (49) — Jessica Denmon 7 0-0 18, Nicole Mowbray 5 3-3 13, Tubo 2 0-0 5, Henricksen 3 0-0 6, Jansen 2 0-1 4, Abadesco 1 0-0 2, Fisken 0 0-0 0, Earnhart 0 1-2 1. Totals 20 4-5 49.

Three-point goals — Bellingham 3 (Pearsall 3), Oak Harbor 5 (Denmon 4, Tubo). Turnovers — Bellingham 19, Oak Harbor 27. Total fouls — Bellingham 8, Oak Harbor 17. Fouled out — Mowbray.