Southwest DeKalb’s Janiya McCoy (4) races up court following a steal during the Lady Panthers’ tough 56-51 loss to No. 3 ranked Holy Innocents. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Three turnovers and allowing an 8-0 run to the No. 3 ranked Holy Innocents’ Lady Lions in the first 2:24 of the fourth quarter proved to be too much for the No. 8 ranked Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers to overcome in a 56-51 home loss in Region 6-4A action on Friday night.
Southwest DeKalb had lost by 19 at Holy Innocents earlier this season but came out battling the Lions through the first three quarters leading 42-38 heading into the fourth quarter.
Holy Innocents turned up the defensive pressure and forced Southwest into three crucial turnovers early in the fourth quarter. Makayla Weaver capitalized on one of the turnovers to put the Lions (19-6, 16-0) up for good at 44-42 with 5:59 remaining in the game.
A layup by Elena McMasters with 5:36 to play made it 46-42 before a three-pointer by Southwest DeKalb’s Bailee Canty made it 46-45 with 5:22 to play.
Southwest DeKalb (18-7, 14-2) cut the lead to one again with 3:59 to go in the game on a layup by Ryan Chaney to make it a 48-47 game.
The Panthers got the ball back on a turnover and had a chance to take the lead only to have the Lions’ Hailee Swain steal the ball back and lay it up to make it 50-47. McMasters layup after long rebound on Southwest DeKalb’s next possession made it five-point game at the 2:30 mark of the fourth quarter.
Jah’Neasia Spiers layup following a Southwest DeKalb steal cut it to 52-49 with just 2:14 remaining. Spiers went down on the layup and Holy Innocents inbounded the ball quickly and got it up to floor to Weaver who knocked down a jumper to extend the lead back to 54-49.
Janiya McCoy picked off a Lions’ pass and took the ball in for a layup with 1:16 to play to make it 54-51 deficit.
Swain hit two free throws to ice the game with 41.8 seconds left for the final of 56-51.
The first half featured nine lead changes and four ties with Holy Innocents taking a 27-24 lead at the half on a three-pointer by McMasters who got the double bounce into the net at the buzzer.
Baskets by Chance Alexander and Spiers early in the third period helped give the Panthers a 29-27 lead with 5:44 to play in the period. A three-pointer by Canty and two free throws by Spiers in the final 1:40 gave Southwest the 42-38 lead after three quarters.
Spiers finished the night with a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double for Southwest DeKalb and Canty finished with 12 points. Mriya Shiels added six points and nine rebounds.
Swain finished the night with 24 points and eight rebounds to lead Holy Innocents’ while Makayla Weaver added 11 points.
Southwest DeKalb’s Jackson Usery (22) dribbles for an opening against Holy Innocents’ Jordan Mays (12) during a tight first half of a 63-46 loss. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(B) Holy Innocents’ 63, SW DeKalb 46
The No. 5 ranked Holy Innocents’ Lions went to work on the boards in the third quarter and used a 14-4 margin to pull away from a 24-24 tie on the way to a 63-46 Region 6-4A road win over the Southwest DeKalb Panthers in the nightcap on Friday.
Kelvin Peek III sent the Panthers (10-14, 9-7) into the half tied at 24-24 with the Lions (19-6, 15-1) as he put an offensive rebound back up and in in the final seconds of the half.
The Lions went to work on the boards limiting the Panthers to just one shot per trip to open the second half and converted on the offensive end by putting together a 17-0 run to take command of the game by taking a 41-24 lead. Rhys Willims’ old fashioned three-point play capped the 17-0 run with 3:17 to play in the quarter.
Caleb Willims hit three-pointer and a turnaround jumper to go with a three-point play and a three-pointer from Devin Hucher to get out in front to stay.
Harlim Perine finally got the Panthers on the board in the second half with a 10-foot jumper from the left side of the lane to break the run.
Holy Innocents took 46-31 lead into the fourth quarter as the 14-4 rebounding edge turned the game in the Lions favor.
Southwest DeKalb got out to an early 9-2 lead s Jackson Usery hit two three-pointers and Messiah Mergan hit the first of the three treys. Williams pulled the Lions into a 12-12 tie with a buzzer-beating, turnaround three-pointer from deep on the left wing.
Usery led the Panthers with 12 points (4 threes) and Messiah Mergan added 11 for his team.
Caleb Willims put together a 17-point, 20-rebound double-double to pace the Lions while Devin Hucher added 16 points and Will Hopkins went for 14 points and 10 rebounds.