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vs. Cy Ridge
The last time Stratford faced Cy Ridge, the game ended with a last-second three-point attempt by Sophomore point guard Rachel Ashby that just missed and would have tied the game. Last Tuesday's game at Cy Ridge proved nearly as entertaining. The Rams were feeling confident after upsetting Memorial the prior week. The Spartans jumped out when Senior guard JaKyla Cheeves drove, spun, and laid the ball in. She scored again from the opposite side on the next play, and it was 4-0. A slew of Spartan turnovers helped the Rams score seven unanswered before Ashby hit Senior forward Maggie Parker at the top of the key, and Parker got nothing but net to make it 7-7. Practically the same play, Ashby to Parker made it 10-10. Ashby stole the ball and on the fast break, found Sophomore Aria Taylor, who swished a three of her own, and it was 14-10. Shortly after, Ashby found Junior forward Kendall Zoboroski on the left wing, and it was nothing but net and 19-13. Once again their defense was solid, but turnovers stunted the Spartans' run. Ashby saved another turnover mistake when she emerged from a loose ball scrum that resembled a rugby match and hit Zoboroski with a long pass. Zoboroski was fouled while scoring, and converted the free throw making it 22-15. The Spartans allowed a Ram rally and when Ashby drove the lane and launched a shot that went in over taller defenders, it was 26-29 midway through the second quarter. Sophomore forward Kendall Davis grabbed an offensive rebound and passed out to Ashby, who knocked in a trey, and it was 29-31, Rams. Parker made two of three free throws, and the half ended 31-35.
Davis was a whirling dervish early in the third quarter when she:
The score was 39-44 but should have been 40-44 after the Cy Ridge scorers' table screwed up the scoring, awarding the Rams points that Davis scored, then refused to acknowledge the mistake, then fixed the Rams' score, but inexplicably only added one point to the Spartans instead of two. Davis once again drove and scored after a pass from Ashby. Taylor scored from the left baseline with the assist to Ashby, and it was 43-47. A Parker-to-Davis-to-Ashby-for-three made it 46-47, and the fourth quarter started at 48-49. The Spartans struggled to maintain their offensive prowess in the fourth. Taylor scored off the pick-and-roll with Ashby, and Cheeves scored off the drive with a few seconds remaining, and the Spartans fell 53-62 . It is ironic that the Rams are on pace to finish second in the District and the Spartans gave them all they wanted for seven out of eight quarters. The Spartans are more talented than their record shows. Ashby led with 12 points and 8 assists. Parker had 10 points. Davis and Cheeves each had 9.
vs. Memorial
Friday night at the Don Coleman Coliseum, the Spartans faced off against that team to the east. Reeves mirrored the Cy Ridge game with an opening series drive to the basket and converted two free throws after being fouled. Davis made a lovely block on defense. But the team in red was making three's while the Spartans were making turnovers. If you can't win, be entertaining, and the Spartans seemed to be striving for the North American record for turnovers committed in a game on this particular evening. Davis found Parker for a three, and then Zoboroski knocked down a trey and it was 8-15. Parker got an assist after another Zoboroski three. Zoboroski found Taylor inside for a spin-and-score. The Spartans were further hobbled when Ashby was hit with two minor touch fouls and then one questionable foul of a blocked shot, giving her three fouls and unwanted time on the bench. She returned with less than four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Cheeves found Greenwood for a three. Ashby stole the ball and got the assist to Cheeves. At halftime, the Spartans boys team warmed up and when a group of visiting grade schoolers began chanting for dunks, the Spartans obliged!
In the second half, Davis nabbed a defensive rebound, took off upcourt and found Zoboroski for her third trey of the game. Cheeves found Davis twice for scores. Taylor created her own shot from 14 feet off the assist from Ashby. Not much happened for the Spartans in the third quarter. The fourth quarter saw Junior guard Emma Adrisa hit Senior forward Lilah Epps on the run, and Epps made a sweet finger roll over two defenders. Epps hit Junior Evyn Stallwitz for a 17-footer. Epps followed with a steal and got it upcourt to Parker, who took a good shot and missed, but Davis got the rebound and put it back in. Parker found Cheeves for a three. No North American records fell. Zoboroski's three treys gave her the team lead with 9 points. Cheeves and Davis each scored 7 points. The Spartans' last game of the season takes places at Jersey Village on Tuesday.