By James A. McCray III
Prince George's County, Content Editor
In the playoffs, there are no easy wins. No free passes to the next round are given out and, in essence, a team will have to earn its eventual win and advancement.
Exhibit A, the
McDonough Lady Rams'
48-35 victory over the visiting
Central Lady Falcons.
For three quarters of Saturday's
2A South opening-round contest
, the Lady Rams held a more than comfortable lead, up to as many as 19 points late in the third quarter.
However, Central opened the fourth quarter on an 11-1 run to cut the lead down to six, 31-25, with 5 minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the game.
"For the first three quarters I thought the team did what I wanted them to do," McDonough head coach
Brenda Tillotson said. " .. I knew [Central] had two very explosive offensive threats, so we put in a defense that we thought would work well against them, and it did for three quarters."
However, even as Central seemed to gain all of the momentum needed for a come-from-behind victory, McDonough's
Trinity Johnson scored on two consecutive break-away lay-up baskets --one a full-court length in-bounds pass-- to push the lead back to double digits, where it would remain for the remainder of the game.
"I thought they weren't going to go in," Johnson said of her lay-up baskets. "Luckily, I got them, because usually it doesn't work. But this time, they worked."
Johnson finished with a team-high 16 points, but no points meant more than the four she scored in the critical moments of the fourth.
"I think we were a little flustered with the press," Tillotson said of the fourth period. " ... It was hard to play through that, but I am glad that we did."
Another key factor in the win was that of the rebounding efforts put forth by the taller McDonough team that helped with second-chance points throughout the contest.
"I knew from scouting Central that its best players were the guards," Tillotson said. "I thought that our post would have an advantage in rebounding, and it did."
Central's
Marketa Salley almost single-handedly cut the McDonough lead down as she scored 14 fourth-quarter points, including eight of the 11 points in the 11-1 run.
However, the Lady Falcons fell just short in its bid for a play-of victory.
"We came out with a lackluster start," Central first-year head coach
Renee Jamison said. " ... We were unable to preserver until the end of the third quarter and into the fourth. This was a very disappointing and heart-breaking loss, I have to say."
On Salley's performance, Jamison added: "That is an average night for Marketa."
Salley finished the contest with a game-high 22 points.
McDonough will now face conference opponent
Calvert for the third time this season, as Calvert has won both of the previous contests.
"We have played Calvert twice this year," Tillotson said, "so we know what they are capable of. They are an outstanding basketball team."
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James A. McCray IIIMcDonough 48, Central 35Central -- 4 3 7 21; Salley 22, Thomas 6, Joseph 5, Cowan 2
McDonough -- 12 8 10 18; Johnson 16, Bridges 7, Ta. Smith 7, Che. Flowers 5, Craig 5, Ca. Flowers 4, McCollum 2, Marshall 2