SYRACUSE – The #2-seeded Lady Raiders edged #3-seeded Jefferson CC 73-72 in a nailbiter on Saturday afternoon, earning a berth in the Region 3 championship game. FM will meet Onondaga CC for the regional title at 1:00 on Sunday in OCC's Allyn Hall.
Jefferson and FM are two very good but very different teams. The taller Lady Cannoneers play a speed game and have a knack for getting players open for layups. FM relies more on power, playmaking, and shooting skill.
Photo: Kendra Jordan scores two for FM early in the game
Regardless of style, when these two teams meet, they match up well. They met on Jefferson's home hardwood in November. That game was tied at 74-74 after regulation time. FM finally won that one after two overtime periods. This regional tournament game had a nearly identical 73-72 score after its 40 minutes of play.
The score remained close throughout the entire game on Saturday. Jefferson got on the board first, but Kassandra Flowers quickly scored FM's first basket with a drive through the paint. It was fitting that Flowers scored first because she also had a huge 20-point game and she scored the winning basket with just seconds left to play.
Photo, from left: Kassandra Flowers, Sherice Gayle, and Stephanie Rice – Rice sank this three-pointer
Sherice Gayle was fouled while shooting. She sank both shots from the line. The score was 4-4. Flowers sank a three-pointer, but Jefferson answered with a three of their own. Throughout the game, Jefferson had an amazing ability to respond to FM baskets by quickly matching the Raider tallies.
The two teams stayed close. Jefferson led 18-16, but Monae Abrams blocked a shot and got the ball to Flowers. Flowers tied the game at 18-18.
Veronica Chea took a pass from Jessica Woney and scored, putting FM up 22-18. Erica Redwood scored. Woney fed Abrams who scored. FM led 27-20. Neither team led by that much again. Jefferson scored and scored again. Chea put FM ahead by four, but Jefferson responded within seconds, and the score was 33-31.
The first half was played quickly, with few fouls by either team. FM owned a 35-31 lead at the break.
The two squads began the second half slowly and then played the final 18 minutes with terrific back-and-forth action.
A two-plus-one gave Jefferson the lead at 36-35. The lead then changed hands seven more times before the final buzzer.
Photo: Veronica Chea scores for FM
Flowers hit for three from the left side. 69-66 FM. Jefferson responded with a traditional three-point play. 69-69. Jefferson's Amanda Roberts added another three-point play, and FM trailed 72-69. Flowers sank a two-point field goal, and it was a one-point game with Jefferson ahead 72-71.
The clock showed 10.8 seconds, and FM was behind. Rice had the ball behind FM's baseline. She inbounded to Flowers in the left corner. Flowers gave a quick fake, then drove the baseline, eluded a defender, underhanded a semi-layup, and scored. FM had the lead with 7.1 seconds left. (See photo at the bottom of this page.)
The Jefferson Five charged down the court as they had done so often in this game, but FM's defense kept their shooter, Roberts, wide and left. Roberts' shot missed, and FM won the game. Every Lady Raider ran onto the court for a teammate-hugging celebration. It was joy for the Raiders and pain for the Cannoneers.
It was a grand game for FM. Every player contributed. Four Lady Raiders scored in double figures, and three of those players had double-doubles: Flowers (20 pts, 10 reb), Sherice Gayle (18, 11), Monae Abrams (10, 15) and Veronica Chea (11, 1).
The Region 3 championship will be decided on Sunday afternoon. The #1-seeded Lady Lazers of Onondaga will host the #2-seeded Lady Raiders. This website will provide full game coverage.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
Click here for video of the final 10 seconds of the game.
Click here for game video highlights.
FMCC: Jordan 1-0-2, Flowers 8-2-20, Rice 2-0-6, Abrams 5-0-10, Gayle 6-6-18, Chea 4-1-11, Er. Redwood 3-0-6, Woney 0-0-0. Totals 29-9-73
Jefferson: Canady 8-5-21, Waterman 2-0-4, Roberts 5-5-15, Coloney 3-3-9, Marshall 1-0-3, Crosby 7-5-20, Smoot 0-0-0. Totals 26-18-72
Three-point Goals: FM 6 (Flowers 2, Rice 2, Chea 2), Jefferson 2 (Crosby 1, Marshall 1)
Halftime: 35-31 FM
Records: FM 21-4 (21-2 D-III), Jefferson 20-7
Photo: Kassandra Flowers drives for two early in the game – her game-winning shot looked much like this one but came out of the left corner
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