Ely unbeaten in district play
FORT LAUDERDALE — Blanche Ely wrapped up its regular-season district slate by taking down St. Thomas Aquinas to finish unbeaten in District 14-8A.
Led by 19 points from freshman guard Jaleah Williams and a staunch defensive effort, the Tigers won 53-42 at the Raiders on Wednesday night.
Ely (20-2, 6-0), which started the season on a 17-game win streak, swept the two-game regular-season series with Aquinas after also taking the Dec. 12 matchup. St. Thomas had won five of six entering Wednesday.
“You see the growth of our young team. They’re growing up quick. They no longer call themselves freshmen,” said Ely coach James Polk, who has three freshmen in the rotation. “We thrive on our defensive play. … Those are the things that are getting us to where we’ve got to be.”
Blanche Ely opened up a 15-point advantage during a third quarter the Tigers won 17-6. Williams hit three of her five 3-pointers in the quarter.
“When we were warming up, I was feeling it,” said Williams, who already holds an offer from Georgia Tech. “I started inside, then worked my way outside.”
Aquinas (12-8, 4-2) got to within six in the fourth, but couldn’t inch any closer. Mikhia Lumdson finished with 13 points for the Tigers.
Sophomore Aquinas guard Bella LaChance scored 19 points and Murphy added 10.
Trailing by 6 at the start of the second quarter, Ely went on a 9-0 run, forcing Aquinas into a pair of turnovers that led to fast-break layups. The two teams went back and forth before Williams connected from deep as time expired in the half to put the Tigers up 24-20 at halftime.
St. Thomas jumped out to a 10-4 lead by the end of the first quarter. Sophomore guard LaChance scored three times on drives to the basket and assisted an Amanda Charles jumper.
The Tigers finish up the regular season at Deerfield Beach on Saturday night before the BCAA Big 8 tournament, districts and regionals where they and St. Thomas figure to battle the likes of Nova and Palm Beach Lakes for a spot in the Class 8A state final four.
dfurones@ sunsentinel.com / @DavidFurones_ Halie