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Battlefield District girls basketball final Date published: 2/22/2009
BY ADAM HIMMELSBACH The James Monroe girls basketball team has held plenty of fourth-quarter leads this season. And that means there have been plenty of chances for the Yellow Jackets to spread the floor, slow the pace, and let the clock melt away. At least that's what James Monroe coach Julian Bumbrey has often had in mind. But for the players, it was not always so easy. "Sometimes, we would just go and throw the ball up," senior Bilnita Armstead said, smiling. "Mr. Bumbrey would be like, 'Hold the ball! Hold the ball!'" Better late than never. In the Battlefield District tournament final last night, James Monroe was in no hurry to relinquish its fourth-quarter lead. Behind a poised and deliberate half-court offense, the Jackets passed up good shots for shots at good passes, and they rolled to a 51-39 victory. "The last time we tried to run a delay offense they just tried to score a basket," Bumbrey said. "But tonight, we spread it out and got it done." Both of these teams have advanced to the regional playoffs, which begin on Tuesday. James Monroe (21-2) will play host to either Prince Edward or Bluestone in the Region I, Division 3 tournament, and Courtland (16-6) will play host to Tabb in Region I, Division 4 play. Last night, Connie Harrison-Lewis led JM with 17 points and T'Kia Jones added 12. Karina Monroe scored 16 to pace Courtland. "Our legs were still under us at the end," Courtland coach Gene Flamm said. "But turnovers killed us. JM is a very good team." It was the fourth meeting of the season between these two teams, and it may have been the next step in a burgeoning rivalry. JM led for much of the first half, but a 3-pointer by Courtland's Breanna Fisher gave the Cougars a 33-32 lead. The Jackets responded with an 11-3 burst that ended with a 3-pointer by Jones. That shot gave JM a 43-35 edge, and it allowed the home team to settle into its slow-paced sets. Bumbrey called "Carolina" from the sideline, and the Jackets spread to a four-corners-style offense that forced Courtland to abandon the triangle-and-two defense that had been quite effective. And this time, unlike the others, the Jackets were in no rush. With its possessions minimized, Courtland tallied just one fourth-quarter field goal.
Date published: 2/22/2009
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