Spalding High's Grenisha Daniels (10) drives to the basket during a home game Friday night against Upson-Lee. Guarding on the play for Upson-Lee is Demeshia Russell (21).
It was a big win for Spalding (10-8 overall, 4-6 subregion), which came into the game tied for last place in the subregion with Upson-Lee (5-11, 3-7). Spalding ended the night winning for the second time in the last three games, while Upson-Lee lost its second in a row and for the third time in the last four games.
Spalding, which trailed 11-2 early in the contest, battled back to cut Upson-Lee’s lead to 13-11 at the end of the first quarter in a game that stood tied 18-all at the half. The Lady Jags then used full-court pressure defense to create turnovers and take a 35-32 lead in the fourth quarter where too many turnovers by SHS allowed the Lady Knight to tie the game in regulation.
SHS had a shot to end it in regulation, but a shot — the only shot by either team in the final minute — with :38.8 left sailed out of bounds.
In overtime, Spalding quickly went to work as Cotton scored nine seconds into the four-minute period. Reid then scored on a layup with 2:46 left to give her team a 4-point cushion before Cotton made one of two free throws with 2:22 left to extend SHS’s lead. Upson-Lee, which continued to struggle with Spalding’s press in overtime, then made one of four free throws between the 2:12 and 1:57 marks to cut Spalding’s lead back to four.
Reid, however, extended it back to five when she made one of two free throws with :35.2 left. Upson-Lee managed to make one more free throw with :26.2 left, but it was too little too late as Spalding added a layup at the buzzer for the final margin.
Rounding out the game’s top scorers were Upson-Lee’s Ke’ondra Ansbrook (16 points) and asmine Davis (10) as well as Spalding High’s Grenisha Daniel (10).
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