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Courtland's Karina Monroe looks for a way around King George's Stephanie Beverly in the Cougars' overtime win last night.
James Monroe's Connie Harrison-Lewis (center), Eastern View's Courtney White (21) and Maisha Brock (12) reach for a loose ball in their Battlefield District semifinal last night.
JM's T'Kia Jones (left) and Shaneekwa Christopher (right) try for a rebound Eastern View's Courtney Shanks. |
BY ADAM HIMMELSBACH
The Courtland girls basketball team spends at least an hour of its practices in constant motion.
They run when there is a chance to walk. They jog when there is a chance to stand still.
And while this is certainly not the most fun way for a group of high school students to spend an afternoon, they realize it is one of the most effective.
They realize that when games are late, time is short, and legs are sore, it is important that they have an edge on their opponent.
"We knew our legs would be under us at the end of the game," Cougars coach Gene Flamm said. "And I think a lot of teams have problems with us because of that."
The Cougars overcame a four-point fourth-quarter deficit to send the Battlefield District semifinal against King George to overtime.
And in that extra session, Courtland was energized and enthused.
It outscored the Foxes, 7-1, and took a 62-56 victory that felt closer than the final score showed.
"We were playing horrible the first few quarters," senior center Karina Monroe said. "Then we started playing our game."
The second-seeded Cougars will face top-seeded James Monroe in the district title game tomorrow night.
The Yellow Jackets defeated Eastern View, 47-35, in last night's other semifinal.
The championship will be the fourth meeting between these two teams this season. James Monroe has won two of the first three, but in the most recent one, Courtland was without injured guard Kara Blosser.
If the Cougars had been without Blosser last night, it is unlikely they would have advanced.
Courtland trailed, 53-52, when Blosser drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 56 seconds left in regulation.
King George's Timeah Brooks sent the game to overtime with a layup. But the Foxes were unable to convert a field goal in the extra session.
And on several attempts, they were unable to hit the rim.
A turnaround jumpshot by Monroe gave Courtland a 58-55 lead with 1:20 left, and the Cougars made 4 of 6 free-throws in the final minute.
Monroe had a game-high 18 points and Blosser added 14. But the Cougars' greatest lift came from Jill McLean.
The sophomore, who joined the team during Christmas break and entered last night averaging 1.4 points, came off the bench to score 10.
"Once you hit one," McLean said, "you feel like you can hit them all."
Freshman forward Stephanie Beverly had 13 points to lead King George, which clinched a berth in the Region I tournament despite last night's loss.
King George | 919 | 16111 | -- | 56 | |
Courtland | 717 | 15167 | -- | 62 |
Scoring
King George: Timeah Brooks 11, Kara Brabant 11, Stephanie Beverly 13, Rajanee Taylor 6, Rickeeta Gorham 10, Ashley Morrissette 2, Brittany Kersey 1, Stephanie Watts 2. Totals: 18 (15-22) 56
Courtland : Jill McLean 10, Breanna Fisher 3, Heather Schnake 3, Jazmine Armstrong 6, Anika Trent 8, Kara Blosser 14, Karina Monroe 18. Totals: 19 21-34 62.
Three-point goals: King George 4 (Beverly 2, Gorham 2). Courtland 3 (Blosser 2, Fisher)
JM 47, Eastern View 35
Jackets guard Bilnita Armstead awoke at 5:50 a.m. yesterday.
After breakfast, she boarded a bus to Hampton, where she would compete in the Region I track tournament.
The senior won the 55 meter hurdles, placed second in the long jump, and then got a ride back to Fredericksburg with her mother.
She arrived at the school a little after 4 p.m.
The Jackets' district semifinal began at 6.
"I was so tired when I got back here," Armstead said. "But I think I did pretty good."
Armstead had 18 points, four assists and four rebounds, leading the Jackets to tomorrow night's district final against Courtland.
Kirastin Colege added 10 points, six assists and two steals for the top-seeded Jackets.
Eastern View pulled within six points late in the fourth quarter and had several chances to slice the deficit to three, but it was unable.
James Monroe closed the game with an 8-2 run.
"When we spread the court like we did," Jackets coach Julian Bumbrey said, "we can get to the basket."
Eastern View | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | -- | 35 |
JM | 15 | 10 | 10 | 12 | -- | 47 |
Scoring
Eastern View (11-13): Shakedra Nelson 0, Jackie Bedsell 0, Miesha Brock 8, Courtney Owens 2, Courtney White 19, Mandy Martell 2, Courtney Shanks 4, Chanette Williams 0. Totals: 17 1-4 35.
James Monroe (20-2): Kirastin Cole 10, Taylor Herold 0, T'Kia Jones 2, Brittini McFadden 4, Shaneekwa Christopher 7, Connie Harrison-Lewis 6, Bilnita Armstead 18. Totals: 17 8-14 47.
Three-point goals: EV: none. JM 5 (Armstead 3, Cole, McFadden).
Adam Himmelsbach: 540/374-5442
Email: ahimmelsbach@freelancestar.com
| Last night's semifinals
James Monroe 47, E. View 35 Courtland 62, Eastern View vs. K. George, 6 FinalJ. Monroe vs. Courtland, 8 |
