The Bradwell Institute Lady Tigers had an uphill fight for most of Tuesday’s basketball game against Statesboro.
When it was over, the Lady Tigers were alone atop the Region 1-AAAAA standings.
In a battle of top 10 teams, the Lady Tigers rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat No. 9-ranked Statesboro 45-36 Tuesday at the Bradwell gym. Bradwell, ranked No. 7 in the state, improved to 16-1 on the season and 4-0 in the region. The Lady Blue Devils fell to 3-1 in the region and 14-2 on the season.
“I know that basketball is a game of runs. So when you get down like that, you just have to try to make the adjustments and know that you are going to make a run back,” said Bradwell coach Faye Baker. “That’s what we believe in and my girls believe in that. They don’t get down when they get behind.”
Reya Johnson had a hand in Statesboro’s first 10 points, either scoring or assisting on the basket. Alyssa Staten’s basket off an inbounds pass gave the Lady Blue Devils an 18-8 cushion, prompting Bradwell coach Faye Baker to call a timeout with 6:18 left in the first half. A free throw put Statesboro ahead 19-8.
“We didn’t have a very good first half at all,” Baker said. “We were turning the ball over. We picked up our defensive intensity. I think that’s what the difference was in the second half.”
Statesboro led 22-14 at intermission, and Jordyn Rogers had 12 of Bradwell’s 14 first-half points. Staten’s basket to open the second half gave the Lady Devils a 10-point lead. Bradwell’s defense took over after that, with Baker going to a zone to counter the Lady Devils’ size.
Lindsay Johnson’s layup put Statesboro ahead 26-20 but the Lady Tigers closed the quarter on a 10-3 run, taking their first lead of the game when Parris Parham turned Kaydence Kern’s pass into a 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining.
Parham’s free throws stretched the lead to 41-33 before Johnson connected on a 3 of her own. The Lady Tigers put the game away on two free throws from freshman point guard Janiyah Blevins and a Blevins layup off a steal with less than two minutes left.
The Lady Tigers roster – minus sophomore Ja’Nya Bush and junior Ta’ Tyana Anderson for the remainder of the season - also has only two seniors.
“We’re playing a lot of young kids,” Baker said. “The experience they’re getting is so valuable. I am pleasantly surprised at the way they are playing and finding a way to win. What can I say?
Rogers had 16 points for the Lady Tigers, and Parham scored 14 of her 16 in the second half. Jamia Ousley added eight points.
Staten and Johnson each had 10 points for the Lady Blue Devils.
Parham paced the Lady Tigers with 22 points in a 54-52 win Saturday over Coffee in overtime while Rogers had eight points and 12 rebounds and Ousley added seven points and 12 boards.
