Crusaders Hit Targets Late, Down Archers 27-25 To Advance to Tournament Finals
Trailing by nine with less than six minutes to go, things looked bleak for the Maroon and Gold. However, thanks to some sharpshooting from the outside and excellent defense, Faith grabbed all the momentum, took a two point lead with less than a minute left, and then held on for a 27-25 win against an excellent Amplus Academy squad.
It was a balanced attack for the Crusaders, as six players scored for Faith. Our point guards - Izzie, Lennelle and Ella B, directed the offense quite well today. Samantha led the way with eight points, while Grace and Brinley each had six, Lennelle added three (hey, we made a free throw!) with Caroline and Kensley each adding a bucket. Skylar, Lexi, Ally and Ella E played some EXCELLENT defense in the low post against the Archer's star player, while Alisi, Penny and Jordyn were defensive stalwarts on the wing.
It was a total team effort, and special shout out to the B Team Members that - due to the way the game progressed - did not get to play as much as we had planned in the second half. Despite not playing, they were SO into the game, cheering and supporting those that were on the floor. It was just great to see. This bunch has great chemistry, and it shows. Also, with 15 players we had a lot more depth than our opponent, and that was a big part of the comeback as well - were the the fresher team at the end of the game, and it showed. Hard work pays off!
With the win, Faith advanced to the tournament final....and a quirk of the rules provided an immediate rematch with the Archers.
Go Crusaders!
