KERNERSVILLE — Mount Airy lost 62-56 to Bishop McGuinness Tuesday.

Bishop led just 12-10 after the first quarter. Then the Bears heated up and posted 21 points in the second for a 31-27 halftime lead.

The Villains clamped down on defense and allowed just eight points in the third as they went back up 41-39.

Then the home team held off the Bears for a win to keep them in the running for third place in the conference behind Winston-Salem Prep and West Stokes.

Mount Airy is just a game behind East Surry for fifth place, and the two teams play Friday.

If the Bears win, the two teams might have to go to a coin flip, said East Coach Jason Anderson. The two teams are very similar in whom they have beaten, which is part of the tiebreaker criteria.

With Bishop and South Stokes just a game ahead of East Surry, things could still change drastically on the final day.

If East Surry wins, and Bishop loses to West Stokes, then the Cards and Villains would be tied at 8-8.

Bishop, South Stokes, East Surry and Mount Airy are locked in as the third through sixth seeds. That means these four teams will be playing each other in the 3/6 and 4/5 matchups for the Northwest Conference Tournament next week. However, it is still up in the air on the matchups and who gets homecourt advantage.

The conference tournament begins Saturday with Surry Central and North Stokes playing for the right to face Prep in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.