Nearly every member of Mount de Sales’ student section wore yellow crime scene tape as headbands Friday night.
Fittingly, those in attendance at McAuley Hall witnessed a larcenous 45-second stretch late in the fourth quarter that propelled the Lady Cavaliers to a 35-25 victory over Tattnall Square.
Clinging to a three-point lead with 2 minutes, 30 seconds remaining, Mount de Sales’ Maggie Midkiff recorded a steal near midcourt and raced to the basket for a layup. On the Lady Trojans’ next possession, Madi Harrington victimized Liz Wainwright, again near midcourt, on her way to a layup.
Seconds later, Anna-Kathryn Walston produced another turnover and punctuated the sequence with a three-point play after being fouled.
The madness allowed region-leading Mount de Sales (16-5, 7-1 GISA Region 2-AAA) to build a nine-point lead after what had moments earlier been a one-possession game.
(The steals) definitely gave us momentum,” Mount de Sales head coach Mia Washington said. “Those really turned the game around for us.”
Midkiff led the Lady Cavaliers with 10 points, while Harrington added eight points.
Meanwhile, Tattnall Square is 4-6 in its past 10 games after a 10-1 start to the season.
“We didn’t take care of the ball down the stretch,” Tattnall Square head coach Todd Whetsel said. “We missed layups and free throws. We didn’t execute. (Mount de Sales) did.”
Blair Smith led the Lady Trojans with 10 points. Kayla Steele addec nine points.
The Lady Cavaliers led 14-13 at the half and after three third-quarter lead changes held a two-point advantage after three quarters.
Smith tied the game at 20 a minute into the final frame before the Lady Trojans lost their grip on the ball and put Mount de Sales back in the win column after a road loss to Stratford earlier in the week that ended an 11-game winning streak.
“This game was very important to us, not just because of (the Stratford loss), but also going forward,” Washington said. “I expect this will be kind of a confidence booster for us.”
Tattnall Square won the boys game 59-55 behind Conner Alford’s 20 points.
Andrew Layson added 18 points for the Trojans (12-7, 4-4 GISA Region 2-AAA).
Christian Dickey scored 17 to lead Mount de Sales (10-9, 3-5). Darius Wonnum added 16 points.
