Lady Bulldogs outlast Elba in overtime for season-opening victory in Brundidge
Published 11:20 pm Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Tierra Hall was the difference for the Pike County Lady Bulldogs in a 45-43 overtime victory Tuesday night over the Elba Lady Tigers in Brundidge.
“We just told them to not give up there after regulation ended,” PCHS head coach Kasey Parker said. “We get beat, we get beat, but I need you to give me 110 percent is what I told them. And they did just that there at the end and I am very proud of them. But that being said we have a lot to work on.”
Hall scored five points in the first quarter, but also grabbed three fouls and sat out the entire second quarter, as the Lady ‘Dawgs (1-0) went scoreless. The ninth grader came back in the second half and took her team from down 34-32 to up 38-36 in the waning seconds.
“Tierra is my best ball handler on my team, but I feel I confident when she has the ball in her hand,” Parker said. “She is a ninth grader, but she knows the game of basketball. And she is only going to get better. She is so quick.”
But Elba had a ninth grader with ice flowing through her veins as well. JaQuetta Whitfield was fouled with triple zeroes showing on the clock and hit the free throw line with her team down 38-36. She nailed both free throws to send the game to overtime.
“I give it all to that Elba girl,” Parker said. “For her to be able to make those two, that was amazing under all that pressure.”
Parker’s team had the rough stretch in the second quarter of not scoring any points and relinquishing an 11-7 lead, but she said they calmed down in the second half and took care of business.
“We were rushing the ball and trying to force stuff and we just told them to calm down,” Parker said.
The Lady Bulldogs and Lady Tigers went back-and-forth in the overtime period before Ashley Flowers put PCHS ahead with 40 seconds left and Ronique Boyd made it a two-point advantage with a true free-throw.
Hall led the way with 18 points, four rebounds and two steals. Flowers had 12 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. Kim Hamilton was two rebounds from a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds. Monique Mills had six rebounds.
Up next for the Lady Bulldogs is a road game against Carroll Friday.