By Willie Coughlan
Spring Sundays are made for
this. Hoops in general, AAU in
particular. The MARYLAND STATE GIRLS AAU
13 and 14U CHAMPIONSHIPS were held this weekend at The COLLEGE of NOTRE
DAME and made for another spring spectacular.
In the early bird, the SHOOTING STARS GOLD outlasted the STARZ
SELECT in overtime 66-54 in the 13U CHAMPIONSHIP.
The 13U
championship featured a very talented group of eight that has been
undefeated in local play in the SHOOTING STARS, and an up and coming STARZ
SELECT team that's finding its chemistry.
The SHOOTING STARS had defeated the STARZ SELECT by 17 a month ago.
This Sunday morning would
prove a whole different challenge to the highly heralded STARS squad by
having them come back from a six-point margin with under five minutes to go. The final started both highly competitive and
somewhat sloppy (see turnovers) with both teams looking for any early
advantage. It stood at a 15-13 STARS
GOLD lead a little more than nine minutes in.
A little variety of MOORIAH
ROWSER and the inside game of JONELLE BRITT and DINAH JONES gave the
SHOOTING STARS a 23-13 advantage with eight minutes to go before
intermission. The STARZ SELECT mounted a
comeback led by the scoring of ALLEYNE and the second chance
opportunities provided by CARRINGTON offensive rebounding to cut it to 28-25 at
the break.
The second half started out with a SHOOTING STAR’s 6-3 edge to put them up
six at 34-28. A HAYDEN jumper two
minutes later cut the lead to one at 34-33. After a bucket and a free one by the SHOOTING
STARS to push it to four, the STARZ SELECT went on a 12-3 run and gave
them a 45-40 lead and chance to expand that before two missed free throws.
The free ones killed the STARZ
as they shot 9-28 from the charity stripe.
The ball penetration of IMANI BAILEY and outstanding play
of ROWSER, both in the lane and on the line, got the SHOOTING STARS back
in it with a 9-3 run of their own. A
crossover and pull-up by BAILEY tied the game at 50-50 with 1:58 to play.
BAILEY hit two of her six second
half free throws to make it 54-51 with a minute to go. ALLEYNE was fouled on a three-point attempt
and nailed all three to start this Sunday with an extra session.
The SHOOTING STARS dominated
the overtime, led by ROWSER and STEWART who had 10 of the 12 points for
the STARS in the period. ROWSER led the
way for the STARS with 26 points and six rebounds. BAILEY had 11 points, five rebounds
AND five assists. BRITT and JONES both
chipped in six points and had six and five rebounds respectively. ALLEYNE (19 POINTS) and CARRINGTON (10
points and 14 rebounds) led the SELECT.
AAU 13-under
Championship Game 2008
Shooting Stars-Gold 66, Starz Select 54
Stars Gold –
Hagins 5, Britt 6, Jones 5, Makins 1, Hopkins 3, Bailey 12, Rowser 26, Stewart
6. Totals 22 22-42 66.
Starz Select – Alleyne 19, Bates 2,
Cannady 7, Carrington 10, Hayden 9, Malloy 7. Totals: 20(5) 9-28 54.
Half: Stars-Gold, 28-25.
Shooting Stars-Gold 13-under
roster:
Head Coach – Reggie Bailey
Asst. Coach – Morris Rowser
03 Dominique Hagins
05 Jonelle Britt
10 Dinah Jones
12 Raven Makins
14 Aleeyah Hopkins
22 Brittney Davis
23 Imani Bailey
24 Mooriah Rowser
Starz Select 13-under
roster:
Head
Coach – Mike Blizzard
Asst. Coach – Coach Bates
01 Cassandra Brumback
03 Kache Stewart
05 Nia Alleyne
12 De’Jhonae Cannady
13 Tracey Carrington
15 Lakeia Hayden
23 Chaun Crockett
30 Traonna Thomas
32 Tyla Bates
45 Troiquay Malloy
54 Kourtney Orr
