Holy Childhood claim first game in ISSA basketball finals
HOLY Childhood took one step closer to retaining the ISSA South Conference schoolgirl basketball title after scoring a 55-44 win over Vauxhall in Game One of their best-of-three finals at the National Stadium courts yesterday.
Last season’s MVP Tiffany Sparks led the way for the Oneil Brown-coached girls with a game-high 25 points and 29 rebounds. She was ably supported by Chavez Coombs with 17 points and 16 rebounds.
Lotayne Hudson was Vauxhall’s topscorer with 25 points, followed by Daina Riley with 11 points.
First-time finalist Vauxhall started the game very tentatively and were almost blown away in only the first quarter of the game, as the champions cruised to a 15-2 lead at the break.
However, the under dogs’ game improved in the second quarter, although Holy Childhood took the quarter 14-10 to take a 29-12 lead at half-time.
Vauxhall’s improvement continued into the third quarter, with the smallest player on the court, Tajai Hutchinson, making the
biggest difference for her team with her incredible energy.
Rochelle Deacon also made an invaluable contribution, as she close-marked and kept Coombs at bay until she was pulled from the game at the end of the third quarter when she ran into foul trouble.
Deacon’s absence allowed Coombs more freedom and she, along with the
irrepressible Sparks, maintained Holy Childhood’s 10-point advantage.
However, the re-introduction of topscorer Hudson, who had a poor first-half, ensured that Vauxhall ended the game on a confident note, despite coming out on the losing end.
Holy Childhood’s coach Brown said his team won the game from the first quarter.
“But at the end of the game we broke down mentally, but that’s just inexperience,” he noted.
His opposite number Nyron Hurd said he was very disappointed, as he knew his girls are capable of more than they offered.
“The first two quarters were real poor, but in the last two we started to play… but my girls have to start respecting the other team and we will do well,” he said.
Game two of the finals is set for tomorrow at the same venue.
