NASHVILLE —
The Berrien Rebels looked as if they had the momentum going into the final quarter of play Friday night. Devontae Bass had foiled an attempt by the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes to run out the clock and drilled a three-pointer as time expired to put his team up 31-29.
Even Canes coach Sultan Cooper admitted he was worried. “I thought we were in trouble,” he said.
But instead of sparking a Rebels onslaught in the fourth, it was Fitzgerald who caught fire. Markell Hall hit a three to put the Canes right back in front at 7:30 and they never looked back.
Berrien had a chance to tie it when AJ Wooten was fouled on a made basket 90 seconds later, but missed the bonus shot. The Canes slowly extended their lead for the 49-39 win.
They were able to fend off a late comeback attempt by hitting their shots at the line. They would make 12 of 16 in the fourth.
Cooper, who was head coach at Berrien for three seasons, said his team was “a little flat coming in.”
The Canes held the lead for nearly all of the first quarter, keeping the Rebels on their toes with a tough defense and held the lead at the end of the quarter, 9-6. Berrien would work to a 15-15 tie late in the second, but a Hall three sent Fitzgerald into the lockerroom with the 18-15 lead at halftime.
It was the Rebels who came out firing in the third, even working up to a six-point lead early in the frame, but Fitzgerald battle back, regaining the lead on Tyreke Lately free throws before Bass hit the three at the buzzer.
Fitzgerald’s Antonio Wilcox led all scorers with 20. Hall finished with nine. For Berrien, Wooten had 11 and Bass finished with nine.
The Berrien Rebelettes took their 12th victory of the season earlier in the evening, 61-44, against Roy Bryan’s Lady Canes.
Berrien set the pace early when Melveshia Wright nailed a three-pointer just seconds after the opening tip and had racked up an 11-2 lead with just over a minute off the clock.
With Berrien holding a 21-8 lead after the first quarter, the Lady Canes managed to find a groove and battled their opponents to a 10-10 scoring stalemate in the second, and were down 31-18 at the break.
The Rebelettes came out on fire in the third behind a pair of baskets by Wright in the first minute of play, but Fitzgerald was able to keep the deficit at 13, 45-32, going in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Canes looked to finally get a bit of luck rolling their way the last quarter, when they cut the lead to 10, but were stymied when Berrien hit five straight baskets to make a 20-point game.
Fitzgerald would score the last four points of the game, but it was too late as Berrien walked away with the 61-44 victory.
Briana Wosmley’s 11 and Keke Bovner’s 10 led the Lady Canes.
Wright finished with 25 and Stefanie Scurry contributed eight for Berrien.
In winning their 12th of the season, the Rebelettes have tied for their most victories since 2000, when the squad finished 20-8 and advanced to the second round of the state tournament.
Berrien’s Tim Hathcock, was proud of what his team has accomplished. “It’s all for the kids,” he said.
Hathcock, who also coaches the Berrien boys, also praised the girls fourth quarter run that saw them put the game out of reach.
“They turned it on tonight when they had to,” he said.
Fitzgerald was scheduled to go to Pelham Saturday night in a pair of Region 1-AA games. They return home Tuesday to play Thomasville, also a region opponent.
Berrien traveled to Adel Saturday night to renew their rivalry with the Cook Hornets. They also have a full slate of region games in the coming week, playing at Brooks County Tuesday and next return home Jan. 25 against Thomasville.
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Related Photos
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Berrien’s Sarah Jewell (32) weaves through traffic against Fitzgerald’s Keke Bovner (14) and Iciana Price (20). Berrien won their 12th gir;s game of the season, but Fitzgerald would take the boys contest. Eddie Senkbeil/sgasports.net
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