By Richard Carrier
Contributing Writer

It was not for lack of heart, effort or tenacity that the Blessed Sacrament Huguenot girls basketball team did not prevail in their opening-round game of the Covenant Christmas Classic last Wednesday. The Lady Knights took the floor with only six varsity players, while facing a full squad of very talented Lady Eagles.

Relying on a tenacious defense and dictating the tempo of the game, Blessed Sacrament kept their hosts in a half-court offense and took a 9 to 7 lead on Geena Landon’s three-pointer at the end of the first quarter. Katie Clark’s jumper, Corrine Birriel’s short jump-shot and baseline drive, followed by another three pointer from Landon, saw the Lady Knights go ahead by 20 to 10. Clark’s baseline drive and another corner three from Landon had the Lady Eagles staggering on the short end of a 25 to 12 score. Sadie Bryant’s offensive rebound put-back; an indicator of bad news down the road, and Margot Leibl’s run-out sliced the lead to nine at the half.

With the lady Eagles rotating nine players (Covenant Head Coach Doug Smethurst was able to use this exceptional depth to substitute offense for defense late in the game) could Blessed Sacrament maintain and not wear down in the second half? Ultimately, and understandably, their short rotation would prove their undoing and the lady nights would fall 48 to 54; but not until they took their hosts into overtime.

Blessed Sacrament’s Taylor Thompson opened the third quarter with a turn-around jumper, Clark fed Birriel for a bucket and then put in a pull-up jumper to open the lead back to 10. But slowly the momentum began to swing in Covenant’s favor. At the 6:31 mark Thompson, a force in the middle, collected her third foul and sat for the rest of the quarter. Sadie Bryant’s three pointer cut the lead to five, Birriel knocked down two free throws before McKinley Clore grabbed another offensive rebound and stuffed it back for Covenant.

With 3:06 remaining, Head Coach Sally Lewis came out of her zone defense, opting for more pressure in a man-to-man. Kimberly Robben offensive rebound put-back appeared to validate this defensive change, but the lady Eagles quickly made three substitutions and slowed the game down. Both teams traded field goals to end the third quarter with Blessed Sacrament holding a seven point margin.

The Lady Eagles’ superior depth was immediately evident at the start of the final stanza. Covenant’s Hannah Huemme’s one foul shot would not have appeared significant had it not been a result of three consecutive offensive rebounds. The Lady Knights misfired on their next opportunity and again Covenant snared three offense boards, resulting in Lieble’s three and a three point BSH lead with 5:52 left. Coach Smethurst began his offense for defense substitutions, Glore made good on two free throws and Leibl’s runner gave the hosts the lead at 37 to 38. Clark’s single foul shot tied it again before Landon’s slick feed to Birriel snatched the lead back. With 44 seconds left Ellie McKay’s short jumper forged another tie.

With 27 seconds left, Landon’s wild shot in the lane did not draw iron. Robben created a held-ball, but the Lady Knights could not take advantage and the final 18 seconds ran out, forcing a four-minute overtime.

Covenant quickly put four points on the board with a run-out lay-up and a short jumper in the lane. But the Blessed Sacrament girls were not done. Clark forced herself inside for a power lay-up the defense turned the Lady Eagles over and Thompson calmly dropped in two free throws two tie at 44 with 2:12 left. But superior depth and clutch free-throw shooting would be the deciding factors. Peed took the baseline for an easy lay-up and River Frazier’s offensive board earned her a trip to the free-throw line for a one-and-one. She sank both. Robben failed to convert on her one-and-one opportunity, but Frazier capitalized on her second bonus situation and Covenant led by six.

Clark got one back on a free throw and then fouled out; followed shortly thereafter by Thomson.

Landon’s fourth three-pointer cut the lead in half, but three more free throws by the Lady Eagles sealed the deal.

“We played hard. I’m proud of the girls,” said Coach Lewis. “But the lack of depth really hurt us.”

Landon led the Lady Knights with 16 points, Clark added 14 .