Balanced Effort Leads to a Crusader Win over RCMS, 19-11
Everyone contributed to the effort tonite as the Crusaders replicated the season opening win over the Rosemary Clark Middle School Sharks, posting a 19-11 victory. Faith fought through illness and two injuries and played an excellent 4th quarter to earn the victory.
This was a rematch of the season opener and both teams had improved since then. Faith was down to nine player for this one but the team stepped up well. Tai and Evie got the scoring started in the first period, as Tai hit a jumper and Evie split a pair of free throws. RCMS got a basket, and it was a one point Faith lead after the first quarter.
The unit of Shay, Abby, Kayleigh, Marin & Isabella M did some great things in the second quarter, especially defensively, holding the Sharks to no points! Shay & Abby each added a basket to extend Faith's lead to 7-2 at the half.
RCMS is a good team, and they came out playing well in the 3rd stanza. They got a basket and a free throw for a traditional three point play to make it 7-5, and then after an Evie free throw made it 8-5 in favor of the Crusaders, RCMS answered with another bucket and it was 8-7. Faith regrouped and went on to score the final four points of this frame, getting one basket each from Riley and Tai. Faith led 12-7 after three quarters.
The Sharks took an early bite out of the lead, getting the first basket to make it 12-9. Then, IT happened. Abby forced a mishandle on the right wing and she and the RCMS player started chasing after it, with the other eight players giving chase. Abby got to the loose ball first, around midcourt, but could not pick it up, so she elected to start rolling the ball down the court - FOR A WHILE - until she could get some separation. She picked it up, drove and made the layup in one of the more unique "coast to coast" displays you are ever going to see! That gave Faith a 14-9 lead which got extended to 16-9 when Riley made a shot after a great pass from Isabella Ramsey. Riley added a point from the charity strip & Tai got a basket to account for the final Crusader tally, while RCMS made a jumper to account for thier final points, and the 19-11 final tally.
Go Faith!!!
