The Rockwall Lady Jackets finished a stunning come from
behind victory with a 9-2 run to close out the game beating Bryan Rudder 48-46
on Friday night at the Garland Special Events Center. The win advances Rockwall
to today’s Regional Championship at 3pm at the Garland Special Events Center
against West Mesquite.
Rudder jumped to an early lead and at times looked like
they would run away with the game. Kansas Jayhawk bound Point Guard Lamaria
Cole led the Lady Rangers with 14 first half points. Cole scored her 16th
point just 2 minutes into the 3rd quarter giving Rudder an 11 point
lead, but would only score one more bucket the rest of the game. Just when it
looked like Rudder would put the game away the Lady Jackets defensive intensity
began frustrating Cole and her team mates and Rockwall started to chip away at
their lead. Senior Paige Turner took the second half assignment of guarding
Cole and she rose to the occasion. Helped by some trapping defense from Senior
Kayla Smith and Junior Morghen Day, the trio disrupted the perimeter play of
the Lady Rangers and created some timely turnovers.
The Lady Jackets trailed by 5 points heading into the 4th
quarter, but Turner hit a bucket on the first possession and was fouled to
complete the 3 point play. Rudder hit one free throw to go up by 3 and then
Senior Post Alyssa Lang did what she has done all year… dominate the paint on
offense. Lang, who finished with a team high 19 points and 11 rebounds, grabbed
an offensive rebound and put back to cut the Rudder lead to 2 points and the
crowd began believe that these Lady Jackets just might be able to complete the
comeback.
Rudder held onto their lead for much of the 4th
quarter before Smith hit a bucket with 2 minutes to go in the game to give
Rockwall their first lead since 3-2. A Smith free throw on the next possession
put the Lady Jackets up 46-44 with just over a minute to play. After milking
more than 30 seconds off the clock Rudder finally attacked the basket with 20
seconds left and drew a foul. Junior
Marche Amerson hit both free throws tying the game at 46. With just 1.9 seconds
on the clock Smith was fouled driving the the basket and was sent to the free
throw line with the game on the line.
With ice in her veins, Smith drilled both free throws
giving her Lady Jackets the 48-46 win.
“We shoot those every day in practice, so no pressure.
When I went to the basket, I knew I was going to get fouled or score. You’ve
got to have confidence in that situation,” explained Smith.
Jacket Fight Never Dies!
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| Ellen Baker looks for an opening |
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| Kayla Smith drives around the defender |
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| Paige Turner and Alyssa Lang fight for a loose ball |
