Women’s basketball team defeats Cottey College in region 16 semifinals
By: DJ McGuire
Sports Editor
On Thursday March 2, 2017, the St. Louis Community College Lady Archers defeated the Cottey College Comets 80-56. This game was the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Region 16 Semifinal game.
The game started out rather slowly for both teams as first playoff game jitters rattled both teams. Head coach Shelly Ethridge said the team came out “a little tight” and admitted the team was “a little nervous going into the game.”
Sophomore guard No. 12, Shamiah Oliver, who scored 19 points, said “I think we had to shake it off real quick, but I think everybody’s just nervous the first three minutes or so.”
During the entirety of the first half the game was very close with both teams holding the lead several times and both teams never having a lead more than five points. The first half ended with the Archers leading 28-25. One memorable moment was the Archers and Comets hitting three-pointers on three straight possessions with each three changing the lead.
The second half began and again the game was close, until an Oliver three, which put the Archers up 37-34 with 6:10 left to go in the third quarter. From then on the Archers held the lead for the rest of the game.
The game itself was very physical at points as well.
“I guess they just don’t like us, we come out hard and they come out hard, but we come out even harder than them” Chrishana Wilson said, no. 21 freshman forward who scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
The Archers maintained their lead for the rest of the game, the lead being 10 or more points for a majority of the second half. The final score was 80-56 in favor of the Archers.
This successful second half for the Archers was fueled by good offense and great three point shooting.
“That’s what we do. We shoot the three ball very well, so once we got that rolling it was very hard to stop us,” Oliver said.
The Archers second half success was also due to their selflessness as the scoring was spread out very evenly throughout the majority of the game.
“We’re very good at playing team basketball and there is no selfish play on this team whatsoever,” Ethridge said.
As the playoffs continue Ethridge admits she is very proud of her team thus far, but knows that her team can still go further this postseason.
“Anything in the future that may happen is certainly just another feather in their hat,” Ethridge said.
Oliver admitted she is also very proud of her team’s progress this season. “From the beginning to now, it is just a Cinderella story; we started out kinda slow trying to gel together and now [that] we’re here moving as one, it is amazing” Oliver said.
This victory advanced the Archers to the Regional Championship game against North Central Missouri College. The game took place on Saturday March 4, and the Archers were victorious 79-70. This marks the second straight Region 16 championship for the Archers. They will play in the District P Championship game on Saturday March 10, at the Forest Park campus at 2 p.m.
