The game began after a touching tribute to the four seniors on the team: Hannah Clark, Ellen Baker, Ka'Bri Person and KK Hutton. Williamson joined the four seniors in the starting rotation and Mesquite jumped to a quick 6-0 lead on two three pointers from Mesquite Senior Briana Caro who finished with 26 points. The game was all knotted up at 22 after the first half.
Mesquite took control of the game midway through the 3rd quarter and opened up an 11 point lead with under 10 seconds left in the period before the game changed in a flash. Williamson drove to the basket for a bucket with 5 seconds left to cut the lead to 9 and Baker stole the inbound and took a page out of NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Millers book by back pedaling to the 3 point arc where she drilled a trey at the buzzer to cut the lead to 6.
Williamson scored the first 4 points in the 4th quarter and the Lady Jackets 9-0 run had cut the game to 2. The teams exchanged baskets a few times before Mesquite took a 4 point lead with a minute to go in the contest. After Mesquite missed the front end of a 1 in 1, got the rebound and missed another 1 in 1, Clark was fouled on that rebound and calmly sank 2 free throws with 48 seconds left to cut the lead to 2.
Person stole the ball on the next possession but the Lady Jackets failed to convert. After another Mesquite missed free throw Williamson drove the lane to tie the game, but missed the shot when she was fouled. She stepped up to the free throw line and rattled in both shots to finally tie the game again. Mesquite had the ball with 22 seconds left when they called a time out to go over their strategy.
After a clean inbound, Hutton trapped her player in the corner and stole the ball away with 14.8 seconds to go in the game. Coach Brewer quickly called timeout before Mesquite could tie up the jump ball. When RHS inbounded the ball it was no secret who would take the last shot. After setting up an isolation play Williamson drove right through the Mesquite defense to finish with her left hand and give the Lady Jackets a 2 point lead. Mesquites desperation shot at the buzzer missed and the Lady Jackets mobbed Williamson at half court.
Williamson had 26 points with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Baker had 10 points with 3 steals. Clark had 6 points with 6 rebounds and Junior Cassie Ross had 6 with 2 steals and 2 assists. Hutton had 4 points along with 2 steals at crucial moments.
The Lady Jackets will travel to Longview on Tuesday night and will complete district play. We thank everyone for their support, but we will need loud Jacket fans as we finish the season and head on the road to playoffs.
The Freshman A Team won 38-31 and the JV won 40-29.
