Broaddus Slips Past Grapeland In OT Thriller
Monday, February 20th, 2012
<em><strong>Photo by Chris Boothe / Messenger Sports Jalla Johnson (#42) pushes the ball down the court during Tuesday’s playoff action. Johnson was a catalyst during the Sandiettes second half surge.</strong></em>
POLLOK – Shaterrika Campbell would make a wide open layup just before the buzzer, sending Tuesday night’s Bi-District matchup between the Grapeland Sandiettes and Broaddus Lady Bulldogs into overtime. Unfortunately the magic would run out as the Sandiettes would find themselves on the losing end of a season ending 52-47 defeat.
Broaddus would score five of their final nine points at the free throw line to put away the Sandiettes and clinch a 52-47 victory. Led by forward Meagan Wallace and her 23 points and 23 rebounds, the Lady Bulldogs would do just enough in the final minutes to slip past the Sandiettes.
Grapeland would open the second half on a 9-0 run to erase a 20-18 halftime deficit. The Sandiettes would also hold Broaddus scoreless for the first five minutes of the second half, allowing them to take a 27-20 lead. Broaddus would heat up as the quarter wore on, but the Sandiettes held all of the momentum with timely baskets by Jalla Johnson and Cymone Davis.
The Sandiettes would lead 32-28 going into the fourth quarter, and after a quick bucket would hold a 34-28 lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by the Lady Bulldogs would tie the game at 34 before Broaddus would move ahead and take the lead. The Lady Bulldogs would lead for most of the fourth quarter until Sicola Shepherd would get a put back to fall with a minute left, giving the Sandiettes a 41-40 lead.
Broaddus would get their next three points from the free throw line before Campbell’s heroics pushing the game into overtime. As a team, Broaddus made 15 of 28 free throws attempted (53 percent), compared to Grapeland, who converted eight of 15 (53 percent) on the night. Broaddus would make eight of 15 free throws alone in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.
Photo by Chris Boothe / Messenger Sports Cymone Davis (#32) goes up for a basket over Broaddus’s Meagan Wallace during the Sandiettes heartbreaking 52-47 loss in overtime on Tuesday night.
Freshman Cymone Davis would make her presence felt with a monster double-double in her playoff debut. Davis would finish the night with a team-high 18 points and 19 rebounds. Senior Jalla Johnson would add 10 points, all in the second half, to go along with six boards, four assists, and two steals.
The Sandiettes would open the game on a 6-0 run and led 8-3 before Broaddus would outscore Grapeland 12-5 over the remainder of the quarter. It would be outstanding defense, and the dominating play by Davis that would help the Sandiettes in the early goings of the contest.
Broaddus would start the second quarter on a 4-0 run, holding Grapeland scoreless until an Amy Brown three-pointer with 3:00 left in the half. The Sandiettes ended the half on a 5-1 run, leaving the score 20-18 at the half. The Sandiettes late run would be spurred by outstanding defense and included a pair of by baskets by Amy Brown and Sicola Shepherd.
Broaddus will now advance to face district 21-1A champion Overton in the Area Championship.
The Sandiettes season ends abruptly for the second consecutive year at the hands of the Lady Bulldogs. With just three seniors graduating this year, the Sandiettes look to bring back their core group of players including Davis, Mallory Johnson and Amy Brown.
<em>Photo by Chris Boothe / Messenger Sports Shaterrika Campbell (#14) goes up for the game tying bucket in the final seconds of regulation. Campbell would make the basket and push the game to overtime before the Sandiettes would fall to Broaddus 52-47.</em>
