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 The Lady Foxes varsity basketball team made the most out the first day of the second annual Foxes Holiday Tournament. Kara Brabant’s running jumper with just 21.4 seconds in the game, and subsequent foul shot, sealed the Foxes’ (0-2, 2-4) win over the Rams from McDonough High School, 67-65. Brabant would finish the game with 18 points to lead all scoring.
Results from the Lackey vs. King George championship game, and Chancellor vs. McDonough consolation game were not available due to press deadlines. In a low-scoring contest, Lackey defeated Chancellor 36-34 in the first game of the girls’ portion of the tournament.
The equally matched up game turned out to be a slugfest of scoring and defense from beginning to end.
In the first quarter, the Foxes struck first with a layup from Timeah Brooks. After a series of offensive miscues from both teams, Quandria Dyson scored a layup and dropped in two foul shots to give the Rams a 4-2 lead. Within 1 minute and 34 seconds, the Rams rediscovered their offense and posted a 8-3 run — courtesy of two short range jumpers by Ram center Tyler Smith.
Dyson poured in six more points to lengthen the Rams’ lead to 14-8; however, the Foxes responded with a put-back by Jazzmine Johnson and three-pointer by Brabant to cut the Ram lead to three points to end the first quarter. Johnson would later finish the game with 15 points.
With the post-zone becoming a battle zone for both teams, the game took on a more aggressive turn of events in the remaining quarters.
Sensing a degree of urgency as they watched their lead dwindle to a deficit of three points, the Rams offense responded quickly. After a 7-1 Ram run, the Foxes responded with two foul shots from Brooks and a jumper from Johnson, cutting the Ram lead to 21-18. The Rams countered an exchange of scores that featured two 3-pointers from Destiny Morgan that culminated in a 10-4 run, to lengthen their lead at the half, 38-27.
In third quarter, the Rams continued their scoring dominance in the post area. With less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds remaining in the third, the Rams had built a seemly insurmountable 17-point lead. Keeping their poise, the Foxes were relentless on the boards with Brittany Kersey and Brabant seizing every opportunity to rebound and score. The Foxes finished the quarter with an 8-0 run, cutting the Ram to 9 points (57-48).
In the final quarter, life in the fast lane became more physical, as the Foxes shifted into a man-to-man pressure defense. Within the first 2 minutes and 10 seconds the Foxes pounded the Rams with foul shots and a 3-pointer, courtesy of Stephanie Beverly. Shocked and amazed, the Rams saw their hefty lead shrink to two points (59-57) with less than 5 minutes remaining in the game.
After Smith connected with two free throws to cushion the Rams to 61-59, Brooks slashed through the Ram defense with a layup to cut the lead again to two points. Seconds later, Brabant continued the Fox rally with a running layup to tie the game at 61-61.
On an assist from Carley Flowers, Chieva Flowers scored a short jumper, allowing the Rams to regain the lead at 63-61. Moments later, after Smith’s layup, which gave the Rams their final lead at 65-62, Johnson drilled two foul shots, cutting the Ram deficit to one point (65-64) with less than 59 seconds on the clock.
After a short battle for possession at the Fox end of the floor, Brabant gave the Foxes a one-point lead (66-65) with only 21.4 seconds remaining in the game. Before the Rams could respond, the Foxes’ pressure defense quickly forced them into a turnover. After eating up another 15 seconds off the clock, Brabant scored another foul shot to give the Foxes the win, 67-65.
Dyson led all Ram scores with 17 points, while her teammate Smith and C. Flowers added 12 points and 11 points respectively.
Leonard M. Banks
Sports Editor
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