Lady Trojans stare down Lady Bears
PARKERS CHAPEL – Parkers Chapel’s Drue Thomas converted a three-point play with 26.8 seconds remaining, which broke a tie game and helped the Lady Trojans pull out a 38-33 victory over Woodlawn on Friday.
PC improved to 9-7 overall and 6-2 in 2A-8 competition. The Lady Bears fell to 6-10, 2-6.
The Lady Trojans surrendered a 13-point advantage in the fourth quarter. Woodlawn’s Kaelie Temple scored inside to cap a 13-0 run and tie the game at 33-33 with a minute left in regulation.
Parkers Chapel missed the front end of a 1-and-1 but got a defensive stop. After a timeout, the ball swung to Thomas on the left wing. The junior drove into the lane with a right-hand dribble and finished with a runner off the glass, drawing the foul. She converted the free throw for a three-point cushion.
The Lady Trojans dodged a bullet when Woodlawn’s Makenzie Lasiter missed an open 3-point attempt from the corner. PC’s Taylor Fortune corralled the rebound, was fouled and hit two free throws with 5.5 seconds left to seal the victory.
Of the go-ahead bucket, Coach Justin Welch said Thomas did a little improvisation.
“We didn’t really have a set play for Drue at that point. We really were just trying to get some motion and trying to get something on the inside,” said Welch. “I thought she did a really good job of receiving a screen and almost curling into the paint. We got a good pass to her. I thought she did really well finishing that basket through contact.” Thomas led Parkers Chapel with 14 points while Fortune finished with 10.
The Lady Trojans built a 33-20 lead after Fortune’s three-point play with 6:35 to go in the fourth quarter. PC would then hit a dry spell, going six minutes without a point. That stretch included some misses at the rim.
“We got out of rhythm, which is what those types of defenses do. We missed some shots in the third period and going into the fourth that we normally make,” Welch said. “They got a little down on themselves. I think that hurt us more than anything. When you miss easy ones, it gets into the back of your head.”
The Lady Bears took advantage as Temple scored twice and then Bailey Parker hit consecutive buckets. Lasiter knocked down a 3-pointer to close the gap to 33-31 with 1:21 left. Temple scored on Woodlawn’s next possession on a putback to knot the game.
The Lady Trojans were on the ropes but survived with some crucial late-game execution.
“We responded the right way and let our defense get control of the game back. We were able to gut one out. That’s always good to see,” said Welch, who said his team could’ve folded after Woodlawn’s run but didn’t.
“I think it’s a combination of heart and composure. These girls have been through a lot. We’re finally starting to see glimpses of this team becoming a veteran team. Last year I probably would’ve burned every single timeout. But I felt, overall, they settled in and did fine.”
Temple led Woodlawn with 10 points.
“I’m proud of the effort,” said Welch. “Drue hit some big shots for us. I thought she had an excellent game, offensively and defensively. She was flying around and the rest of them did a great job.”
BISMARCK 40, SMACKOVER 33
BISMARCK - The Lady Bucks (8-8, 3-2) saw their two-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Lady Lions (6-11, 3-3) in 7-3A action.
Adriana Grant had 16 points, while Brooke Patton and Breunna Patton had five points apiece for Smackover.
Alyssa Zia, Hannah Collie and Tela Williams had eight points each for Bismarck.
Smackover will look to bounce back on Tuesday when they play at Centerpoint.