Wednesday, January 1, 2020

St. Catherine Wins Second Half



            The Wilberforce University (WU) Lady Bulldogs have not had much success this season (2015-2016). For the Lady Bulldogs, there have not been many victories at all. With all due respect, I will not go any further into the Lady Bulldogs’ Overall Season Record. Are the Lady Bulldogs as bad as their record displays? That is not for me to decide. I encourage all of my readers to go and view one of their games. Then, you can decide for yourself. In games that I have witnessed, the Lady Bulldogs have been very competitive. For the most part, the Lady Bulldogs have hung with teams in the First Half. The Second Half is where the Lady Bulldogs’ problems lie. The conditioning and speed of their opponents wear the Lady Bulldogs down. In the Second Half, teams will still be running up-and-down the court. Of course, I know that is a normal aspect of the game. Whenever I watch the WU Lady Bulldogs play, the following exists. In the Second Half, their opponents are still going full-speed. They do not seem to be tiring out. As far as WU is concerned, the same cannot be said. It is quite obvious that the Lady Bulldogs are worn down and tired. When that happens, the team starts losing control of its playing behavior. Mistakes begin to pile up. Then, frustration sets in. The total combination is not a good mixture.

            For the WU Lady Bulldogs, today’s (Friday, December 11, 2015) opponent will be The St. Catherine College (SCC) Lady Patriots. Will the Lady Bulldogs be able to keep the Lady Patriots held down? Will the Lady Patriots walk out of The Alumni Multiplex (AM) with a victory in tow? Both questions are about to be answered. St. Catherine won the game’s tip-off. Five seconds into the game (9:55), Wilberforce’s Defense stole the ball. At 9:43, Brieanna Carter made a 2-Point Basket. Before the minute was up, the Lady Patriots’ Miranda Wilson attacks the basket. However, her 2-Point Shot Attempt was no good. With 8:34 on the clock, the Lady Bulldogs turned the ball over. Eleven seconds later (8:23), St. Catherine turned the ball over. At the 8:07 mark, WU’s Jasmine Johnson picked up 2-Points. Fifteen seconds later (7:52), the Lady Bulldogs had possession of the ball again. This time, they committed a Turnover. From 7:19 to 5:48, the teams traded 2-Point Baskets. Each team made two. WU led SCC 8-4.

            From 5:32 to 4:57, the team traded Turnovers. Each team committed 2-Turnovers. With 4:47 on the scoreboard, St. Catherine’s Kayla Wilson nailed a 3-Point Basket. At 4:46, a Timeout was called. SCC trailed WU by 1-Point (8-7). The Lady Patriots have caught right back up to the Lady Bulldogs. Wilberforce started fast and strong. The Lady Bulldogs’ Turnovers are beginning to hurt them. For the Lady Patriots, those Turnovers are leading to points. Shortly after the Timeout, SCC’s Patrice Tonge made a 2-Point Basket. Then, WU took over. From 3:58 to 35.6 Seconds, WU outscored SCC 8-2. During the process, the Lady Bulldogs committed 2-Turnovers. The Lady Patriots committed 1-Turnover. At the end of the 1st Quarter, WU leads SCC 16-11.

            The game started slow. With limited speed, Wilberforce came out strong. Now, the pace has gotten much faster. The teams are done with feeling each other out. As the 2nd Quarter got underway, St. Catherine had possession of the ball. At 9:38, the Lady Patriots missed a 2-Point Basket. When Wilberforce got the ball, it missed a 2-Point Basket too. From 9:08 to 8:07, SCC went on a 5-0 Scoring Run. Emilie Harrell scored 3-Points. Her points tied the game 16-16. Then, WU proceeded to outscore SCC 4-3. After each team turned the ball over once, the Lady Bulldogs’ Da’Sha’Nay Corley made a 2-Point Basket. After that, The Lady Bulldogs went on to commit a Defensive Foul. The Lady Patriots committed an Offensive Foul. From 4:16 to 3:04, St. Catherine outscored Wilberforce 7-6. Cora Moore hit a 3-Point Basket. With 3:04 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, a Timeout was called. WU’s lead was 2-Points (28-26).

            Coming out of the Timeout, SCC turned the ball over. WU’s Defense stripped the ball away. Then, the Lady Bulldogs picked up a Steal. At 2:26, the Lady Patriots’ Moore nailed a 3-Point Basket. After that, Wilberforce was penalized for a Traveling Violation. Although the Turnover gave St. Catherine the ball back, the Lady Patriots failed to score. With 1:45 on the scoreboard, Corley made a 2-Point Basket. Seventeen seconds later (1:28), Tonge picked up 2-Points. After WU’s Baley Cowan made a 2-Point Basket, SCC closed out the First Half’s scoring. With the aid of a Traveling Violation (against the Lady Bulldogs), the Lady Patriots went on a 4-0 run. Moore picked up 2-Points. With no time remaining on the clock, Miranda Wilson made a 2-Point Basket. At the end of the First Half, St. Catherine leads Wilberforce 35-32. In order to overcome WU, SCC did exactly what it had to do. Regardless of whatever that may have been, the Lady Patriots did it. As a result, they possess a Halftime Lead.

            The pace of the game keeps on going up and down (fast and slow). Wilberforce controlled it. However, St. Catherine has caught up. Now, the Lady Patriots have taken over control of the game’s pace. SCC is creating a minimal amount of separation. Cora Moore converted a couple of 3-Point Baskets. By her becoming “HOT,” the Lady Patriots were able to overcome the Lady Bulldogs. SCC is now in control of “MOMENTUM.” Going into Halftime, the team has it. WU does not have it. In the First Half, both teams made multiple mistakes. I fully realize that. However, WU’s Turnovers and Fouls are beginning to hurt the team. The Lady Bulldogs’ mistakes are leading to points for the Lady Patriots. After the Halftime Break, Wilberforce started with possession of the ball.

            Fifteen seconds into the 3rd Quarter (9:45), Wilberforce’s Kendra Moss was at the basket. Unfortunately, her 2-Point Shot Attempt was no good. At 9:20, Moore missed a 2-Point Basket too. Sandwiched in-between WU turning the ball over and obtaining a Steal, Moss picked up 2-Points. From 7:57 to 3:12, the Lady Bulldogs had all kinds of problems. They committed 1-Turnover. Then, a Technical Foul was called on them. Finally, the team committed a Defensive Foul. With 3:09 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, a Timeout was called. SCC possessed a 46-37 lead. After the Timeout, WU turned the ball over. Then, the Lady Bulldogs obtained a Steal. During the 3rd Quarter’s final 1:43, St. Catherine committed 1-Turnover. Wilberforce went on a 6-0 run. At the end of the 3rd Quarter, Wilberforce trails St. Catherine by 3-Points (46-43). Wilberforce ended the quarter on a good note. The Lady Bulldogs are closing the gap.

            At 9:52 of the 4th Quarter, Corley made a 2-Point Basket. Thirteen seconds later (9:39), Tonge nailed a 3-Point Basket. After St. Catherine turned the ball over, the Lady Patriots soon had the ball again. From 8:02 to 7:19, SCC outscored Wilberforce 4-0. With 6:56 on the scoreboard, the Lady Bulldogs’ Diamond Wright nailed a 3-Point Basket. WU went on to commit a Turnover and obtain a Steal. Before a Timeout was called at 4:11, each team scored 2-Points. SCC possessed a 5-Point Lead (55-50). Coming out of the Timeout, the Lady Patriots’ Kayla Wilson hit a 3-Point Basket. After Wilson’s conversion, the Lady Bulldogs’ Jasmine Johnson picked up 2-Points. At the 3:23 mark, SCC’s Miranda Wilson nailed a 3-Point Basket. With 3:20 remaining in the game, a Full Timeout was called. From 3:09 to 2:10, St. Catherine committed a Defensive Foul. Then, the Lady Patriots went on to commit 2-Turnovers. Wilberforce managed to obtain only 3-Points.

            With 1:45 on the scoreboard, Moore nailed a 3-Point Basket. Before a Timeout was called (29.2 Seconds), Corley picked up 2-Points. Kayla Wilson went on to pick up 3-Points. Going into the Timeout, St. Catherine possessed a 10-Point Lead (67-57). After the Timeout (22.7 Seconds), Wilberforce’s Brooklynn Peterson hit a 3-Point Basket. With 19.0 Seconds to go in the game, Miranda Wilson successfully made 2-Foul Shots. Then, a Timeout was called. After the Timeout, the Lady Bulldogs made another mistake. WU allowed SCC to steal the ball away. At the 12.3 Seconds mark, Kayla Wilson was fouled. She stepped to the Free Throw Line. Foul Shot #1 was good. Then, Foul Shot #2 was good. Those were the game’s final points. At the end of the game, St. Catherine College exited The Alumni Multiplex with a 71-60 victory.

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