Lady Saint Aliyah Williams, #33, slows the pace down to allow her teammates to catch up and set for a rebound. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
Kymora Strokes, #12 for the Lady Saints, eyes an open Aliyah Williams as defenders close in. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
The girls of Southern Wayne faced the East Wake Warriors in a game filled with momentum swings and standout plays. Despite a strong effort from the Lady Saints, the Warriors ultimately pulled away for a decisive 54-39 victory.
The game opened with East Wake applying early pressure and taking control. The Warriors secured a quick lead when they converted on a throw-in, followed by a jumper to establish a rhythm. Southern Wayne’s Myhirah Hunter tried to answer but missed a crucial pass resulting in a turnover. East Wake capitalized on the Saints’ early miscues with back-to-back jumpers, extending their lead.
Southern Wayne’s defense, led by Nevaeh Hines-Bass and Azariah Jordan, held their ground, contesting shots and creating several opportunities to turn the tide. Destiny Bullock recovered a loose ball after a bad throw-in and drew a foul, converting one of two free throws to cut the deficit. Moments later, Hines-Bass sank a three, tying the game.
However, East Wake responded with a flurry of points, including a deep 3-pointer and two consecutive layups, forcing Southern Wayne to call a timeout at 3:49. By then, East Wake had surged ahead, 16-4. Hunter finally broke the Saints’ scoring drought with a well-timed layup, but the Warriors continued their offensive onslaught, hitting another trey to close the first quarter with a 19-6 advantage.
In the second quarter, Southern Wayne showed signs of life. Bullock drew a foul and confidently hit both free throws, trimming the lead to 19-8. The Saints’ defense intensified, with Hunter and Bullock teaming up to steal the ball twice in quick succession, though they couldn’t convert those opportunities into points. After a brief scoring lull, Bullock found her rhythm, driving to the basket for a layup to bring the score closer.
Hines-Bass delivered one of the Saints’ biggest plays of the night, recovering a loose ball under the basket and sinking a three to narrow the gap to just two points. The Saints’ bench erupted in cheers as Southern Wayne closed the half with renewed energy, trailing only 23-21.
“I told the girls at halftime to keep their heads up and stay aggressive,” said Southern Wayne head coach Ricky Lofton. “We were right there with them— we just needed to tighten up on rebounds and protect the ball better.”
The third quarter began with Southern Wayne aiming to carry their momentum into the second half. Hines-Bass was pivotal again, going hard to the basket and drawing a foul. Her two successful free throws gave the Saints their first lead of the game at 30-28. Unfortunately, that lead was short-lived as East Wake quickly regained control with a layup, followed by a three-pointer to take the lead again.
Southern Wayne struggled to recover rebounds, allowing East Wake to capitalize on second-chance opportunities. Turnovers became an issue once again for the Saints, with Bullock and Hines-Bass both losing possession to East Wake’s quick hands. A string of layups and free throws from the Warriors widened the gap, and by the end of the third quarter, East Wake had reestablished a commanding lead, 40-32.
In the final quarter, Southern Wayne fought hard to stay in the game. Hines-Bass opened the period by converting two free throws to bring her team within one. But East Wake responded with back-to-back layups, forcing another Southern Wayne timeout at 5:47. Despite the Saints’ efforts, the Warriors’ defense stifled their offense, creating turnovers and turning them into fast-break points.
By the two-minute mark, East Wake had stretched their lead to 47-32. Bullock attempted to rally her team, but a trip and subsequent out-of-bounds call halted their momentum. Hines-Bass hit a late three to bring the score to 47-35, but it was too little, too late. East Wake closed out the game with a flurry of layups and a free throw, sealing their 54-39 victory.
Despite the loss, Southern Wayne showed resilience and flashes of brilliance, particularly from Hines-Bass, who led the team with multiple steals and timely baskets, and Bullock, who was relentless on both ends of the floor. Hunter and Aliyah Williams also made notable contributions, hustling for loose balls and fighting for rebounds throughout the game.
“We’ll learn from this and come back stronger,” Lofton said. “I’m proud of how hard they fought. We just need to execute better in critical moments and take care of the ball.”
With this game behind them, Southern Wayne will look to regroup and prepare for their next matchup.
