Girls Basketball: Forest Park 79, Woodbridge 36

The Forest Park girls basketball team knows its way around a big game. Over the last four years, the Bruin seniors have played in every championship game possible, from the Cardinal District right on up to Group AAA VSHL finals. They’ve won district and region titles and won a state title as freshman. It’s that experience that help the Bruins take down Woodbridge, 79-36, in the Cardinal District finals on Friday night at Forest Park High School.

“When players have been in these types of games consistently, which all
four of our seniors have,” said Forest Park head coach Rebecca Tillett. “That type of experience, not many
people have that. They use that and call upon it in big-game
situations. To them, this is a very big game.”

Added Woodbridge head coach George Washington: “They do it every year so they are used to it. A game like this is nothing to them.”

Even fewer people are able to perform as consistently as Danni Jackson during the big games. The Bruins’ senior hit three three-pointers and totaled 14 points in the first quarter alone, en route to a 36-point performance.

“We are trying to get as many championships as we can get,” said Jackson after winning her third district title. Jackson, along with teammates Gerda Gatling (18 points) and Shayla Drakeford (11 points) jumped out ahead on the Vikings early, taking a 13-point lead into the second quarter and a 16-point lead at halftime.

Both Tillett and Jackson point to the return of senior Briana Scott, who missed much of the Bruins’ district schedule due to a injury as a big boost to the squad.

“The addition of Briana solidified the defense because she knows it very well and she plays it very well,” said Tillett.

The Bruins’ defense held the Vikings to single-digit point in three of the four quarters.

Jackson said that Scott’s return went a long way to helping the team’s chemistry. Just two weeks ago, with Scott out of the lineup, the Bruins narrowly defeated Woodbridge, 55-53.

With the victory, the defending Northwest Region champs move on to face Osbourn Park at home in the first round of the region tournament on Tuesday. Forest Park beat the Yellow Jackets 51-36 earlier in the year. The Vikings will take on Cedar Run District champ Stonewall Jackson. Both games start at 7 p.m.

Forest Park 79, Woodbridge 36
FOREST PARK (79) — Jackson 13 5-7 36; Gatling 7 3-5 18; Drakeford 3 4-8 11; Scott 2 1-2 5; Brown 2 0-0 4; Kruse 1 0-2 3; Sykes 1 0-0 2; Shands 0 0-1 0. Totals: 29 13-26 79. WOODBRIDGE (36) — Brooks 2 3-6 9; Nottingham 3 2-2 8; Bolander 2 2-5 6; Partlow 1 1-3 4; Maksanty 2 0-2 4; Smith 1 0-0 2; Nelson 1 0-0 2; Bugg-Bey 0 1-2 1. Totals: 12 9-25 36. Three Point — Forest Park 8 (Jackson 5, Gatling 1, Drakeford 1, Cruse 1); Woodbridge 3 (Brooks 2, Partlow 1).