The Bradwell Institute Lady Tigers defeated the Richmond Hill Lady Wildcats Friday night 38-28, notching their sixth straight win and improving to 9-9 on the year after going 2-4 in their previous six games.
Both teams started slow with the Tigers scoring three points from the free throw line and Wildcats scoring four points in the first quarter. Sophomore guard Jasmine Blevins picked things up for the Tigers in the second quarter as she scored seven out the team’s ten points and put them up 13-10 at halftime.
Richmond Hill put up a fight coming into the third quarter with sophomore Malexia Vann and senior Nia Dunn putting up four points apiece, and seniors Tiara Gandy and Jazlyn Martin each scoring two points. Bradwell had a variation of players able to score, but the Wildcats were able to work through to tie the game at 28 heading into the fourth.
The final quarter was a war from the charity stripe as free throws were the key factor in pulling out the win for the Tigers. The team went 12-16 from the free throw line in the fourth, with sophomore guard Esperanza Castro and senior forward Ashanti Harris making all six of their foul shots. Bradwell outscored the Wildcats in the forth 16-6, earning the win and putting the Tigers at .500 for the first time since they were 1-1 after their first two games in November.
Bradwell head coach Faye Baker thought there were things that could have gone better, especially down low in the post.
“I do not think we did a good job rebounding tonight,” she said. “They out-rebounded us a lot and, granted, they were big, but we have to do a better job putting a body on them and grabbing rebounds.”
Baker added that the team did not shoot the ball as well as normal, but said she was pleased they were able to come out with a win. “I’d rather win ugly than lose pretty, any day.”
The Lady Tigers are now 3-1 in region play and will travel to take on Brunswick, which is 4-0 in the region, at 7 p.m. Friday.