JOHNSTOWN – The Onondaga CC women's basketball team brought their perfect record to the Raiders Den on Sunday afternoon. They left with that record still untarnished after handing the Lady Raiders their first defeat of the season. The OCC Lady Lazers scored 84 points and held FM to 72.
Photo: Stephanie Rice's tally makes the score 12-12 – also visible are, from left, Sherice Gayle, Monae Abrams, and Kassandra Flowers
Onondaga is considered to be one of the very best teams in Region 3, and they lived up to their billing. Their tall team has depth, skill, and poise. The Lady Raiders are also a strong team, and the two squads played on even terms for most of the first half.
The visitors scored the first basket, but FM quickly evened the score. A three-pointer by Kassandra Flowers and a drive by Stephanie Rice knotted the score at 9-9. Veronica Chea sank a three from the right side, then nailed both shots of a one-and-one to tie the score at 24-all.
Photo: Monae Abrams scoring early in the second half
OCC moved ahead again, but Evanda Redwood's free throw evened things at 30-30 with 4:05 left in the half. Then the visitors went on what may have been a game-changing run. They scored 10 points in those four minutes while holding FM to only two. The score was 40-32 at the break.
FM kept pace with OCC for much of the second half. In fact, they almost tied the game. Sherice Gayle put in a rebound. Flowers drove for two. Flowers then sank a three from the center of the arc, and FM trailed by just two points, 50-48. But the visitors then upped their lead, maintaining control of the game.
Many fouls were called, and many free throws were taken. OCC sank 23 from the line and FM sank 21.
Photo: Taylor Wetsky scores two
FM's Flowers stole the ball and sank a three for the final points of the game. The final score was 84-72.
The Lady Raiders will face more very good teams in the coming days. FM plays in Division III, but on Thursday, November 21, they will host one of the top teams from Division I, Monroe CC. Tip time is 6:00 p.m.
Next weekend will also see challenges. On Saturday the Lady Raiders will travel to SUNY Adirondack. On Sunday they will ride north to meet undefeated (5-0) Jefferson CC on Sunday.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
Scoring:
OCC: Anderson 12, Price 4, Roy 25, Taylor 11, Louis 2, Marceley 8, Kibling 3, McGraw 3, Devel 10, Griffin 6; Total 84
FM: Chea 7, Garrett 2, Flowers 19, Rice 8, Evanda Redwood 1, Woney 3, Abrams 13, Wetsky 2, Erica Redwood 7, Gayle 10; Total 72
Photo: Kassandra Flowers shoots from behind the arc – she sank four from that range
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