By Willie Coughlan
The 14U
final that followed was just as exciting as the first with the SURE SHOTS
holding off the LADY TIGERS, 51-48, before several hundred fans on the campus
of The COLLEGE of NOTRE DAME.
The second Sunday championship
pitted the SURE SHOTS against the LADY TIGERS in another barnburner that
featured a one possession game over the last five minutes. The SURE SHOTS avenged an earlier loss to the
LADY TIGERS in April by holding on in a three- point thriller. AMBER SINGLETARY led the SURE SHOTS with 19
points including a crucial three point play, and hitting three of four free
throws down the stretch.
After FLEET had hit a
bucket to tie it at 14-14, SINGLETARY hit two trifectas in a 9-0 run that
put the SURE SHOTS in charge, 23-14.
The two finalists traded buckets and free throws to close out the half
28-19. SINGLETARY had 13 first half
points and MELANIE MOCNIAK contributed six points and four rebounds for
the SURE SHOTS. MAGGIE MORRISON struggled
from the field (2-10), but was the glue that held the SHOTS together along with
SINGLETARY. HENDRICKS carried the LADY
TIGERS in the first half by contributing 10 points and four rebounds.
The LADY TIGERS came out of the break with a 6-0 run that left the deficit at three,
28-25. The SURE SHOTS went on a 7-2 run
of their own including a three from MORRISON to stake a seven point lead with
13:56 to play. Another 6-0 run by the
TIGERS cut it to 35-33, the closest it had been since being tied at 14. DURANT provided fine floor play and FLEET and
BECKWITH the finishes during their run.
The SURE SHOT lead got to six
again at 41-35 before DURANT (nine second-half points) and CARR (six) got the
LADY TIGERS within one, 45-44. SINGLETARY hit
a crucial three, her first bucket of the second half, with 1:28
to play to put it at 48-44. A drive and
layup by DURANT cut it to two, but SINGLETARY hit three free throws to
seal the crown for the SHOTS.
SINGLETARY(6-11 FG) led all
scorers with 19 points while adding three rebounds and three assists. MORRISON was vital on the floor and
contributed 14 points, four rebounds and four assists, including nine second
half points. MOCNIAK provided the inside
punch with 11 points and nine rebounds.
The LADY TIGERS got solid
inside play from both HENDRICKS (14 points, nine rebounds) and CARR (six,10). DURANT contributed 11 points and five assists
and FLEET scored 11. The LADY TIGERS hit just four of their 15 free throw attempts
and only one of nine after intermission.
AAU 14-under
Championship Game 2008
Sure Shots 51, Lady
Tigers 48
Sure Shots –
Singletary 19, Clampitt 4, Morrison 14, Johnson 1, Mocniak 11, Ogunsanya 2. Totals 19(5) 8-14 51.
Lady Tigers – Fleet 9, Beckwith 8,
Durrant 11, Carr 6, Hendricks 14. Totals:
21(2) 4-17 48.
Half: Sure Shots, 28-19.
Sure Shots 14-under
roster:
Head Coach – John Hildreth
Asst. Coach – Robert Hildreth
01 Amber Singletary
02 Carolyn Hildreth
04 Stepanie Clampitt
21 Ashley Reid
23 Noelle Reibling
24 Andrea Archila
32 Maggie Morrison
34 Andrea Johnson
41 Melanie Mocniak
52 Elizabeth Ogunsanya
Lady Tigers 14-under
roster:
Head
Coach –
Asst.
Coach –
01 J. Fleet
02 M. Beckwith
15 T. Durrant
31 D. Carr
32 C. Hendricks
