Bruins oust Bertie
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 1, 2005
WINDSOR – Last year the same teams met for the sectional title.
This year, Bertie’s Lady Falcons and Wilson Beddingfield’s Lady Bruins went after the identical crown.
Beddingfield was able to avenge last year’s loss here Saturday night as they knocked off Bertie 60-50.
Behind 18 points from October Harris and 15 from Jambia Lucas, the Lady Bruins used a strong second quarter to grab the lead and hold on for the win.
Bertie led 11-10 at the end of the first period thanks to buckets by Ashley Speller, Ashley Berryman, Quanesha White, Jessica Breland and Tierra Perry.
Beddingfield rallied thanks to a hoop and free throw from Harris to take a 13-11 lead. The Lady Falcons came back to the lead with a Speller free throw and a Berryman hoop.
Jaquia Winstead started a 7-1 run over the last three minutes of the quarter. Her free throw and baskets by Lucas and Sheroni Hooks helped the Lady Bruins to a 22-17 advantage. Lucas then had a bucket to end the half with Beddingfield leading 24-18.
Hopes of a Bertie comeback were stifled quickly in the third period when Harris opened with consecutive hoops that pushed Beddingfield’s lead to 28-18.
The Lady Falcons rallied midway through the third period with a 5-0 run. Berryman and Speller had hoops during that spurt that cut the lead to32-28.
With the lead back to seven moments later, Bertie went on another streak, this one 4-0 to get close again. Breland and Berryman scored to get the score to 37-34.
Beddingfield pushed the advantage back to six (40-34) by the end of the third quarter, but Bertie wasn’t done.
Free throws by Speller and Breland helped Bertie get within one point (40-39) with 5:41 to play in the game. Lateaya Pope then hit consecutive hoops to help the Lady Bruins extend their advantage to 44-39.
Following a Breland hoop, Beddingfield had eight unanswered points to claim a 52-41 lead with 2:35 to play. Four different Lady Bruins scored during the spurt.
Courtney Ransome scored for Bertie with 1:55 to play, but seven was as close as the home team would get.
Lady Bruins (60): October Harris – 18, Jambia Lucas – 15, L. Pope – 8, J. Best – 7, J. Winstead – 5, S. Hooks – 4, J. Johnson – 2, L. Farmer – 1
Lady Falcons (50): Jessica Breland – 19, A. Berryman – 9, A. Speller – 9, T. Perry – 7, Q. White – 3, C. Ransome – 2, A. Bell – 1