The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CH Reeves Raptors - 20

HO Nash Lions - 29

Iconic head coach Pattie Johnson added another title to her storied programme as the HO Nash Lions closed out the GSSSA junior girls’ championship series.

The Lions took the best-of-three series with a 29-20 win over the CH Raptors in game two at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday.

The Lions were held without a field goal and to just a single point in the first half before they came storming back behind the MVP performance of Candice Smith.

“We struggled defensively, I don’t know what happened out there early on,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t get a stop, we couldn’t make a shot, but the girls were able to turn it around in the second half.”

Johnson’s Lions are perennial GSSSA contenders, even in rebuilding years, a fact she said made this championship even more gratifying.

“This one is especially sweet because we have 10 returning seventh graders to the team next year, so it’s important for them to know what this programme is built on and what we expect from it,” Johnson said.

The Raptors held a 3-1 lead at the half and scored the opening basket of the second to take a 5-1 lead.

HO Nash tacked on three free throws from Smith to make it 5-4 at the 10-minute mark, but remained without a field goal for the game.

Shenique Knowles made a pair of free throws to extend it to a 7-4 lead for the Raptors.

The Raptors went ahead 9-5 before the Lions made their first basket with 5:40 left to play. Tied at 11 with just over three minutes left to play, Smith finished a fast break to give H Nash their first lead of the game (13-11).

Knowles would drive the lane to tie it at 13 on the ensuing possession and the Raptors would regain a short-lived lead (15-13).

After the Lions would tie the game at 15, Smith would again score the go-ahead basket with just under a minute left to play. She made eight of the remaining free throws down the stretch to put the game away.