McNair, Dean power Greenfield girls past Mount Zion Christian Academy
Posted on January 28, 2022
Greenfield’s Darcy Dean (10) looks to attack the basket during a 53-49 win over Mount Zion Christian Academy.
Greenfield’s Darcy Dean (10) goes for a layup during a 53-49 win over Mount Zion Christian Academy.
Greenfield’s Serenity McNair lines up a free throw against Mount Zion Christian Academy. McNair hit six key free throws in the fourth quarter of a 53-49 win.
Greenfield’s Serenity McNair (2) looks to drive past Mount Zion Christian Academy’s Daniella McLean. McNair led Greenfield with 27 points in a 53-49 win Thursday night.
By Andrew Schnittker
aschnittker@wilsontimes.com | 252-265-7807 | Twitter: @aschnitt53
The old saying that basketball is a game of runs might be a cliche, but it’s one that rings true from time to time, and certainly did in Thursday night’s game between the Greenfield School and Mount Zion Christian Academy girls basketball teams in Wilson. The Knights’ runs were stronger, as they held on for a 53-49 win over the visiting Mighty Warriors.
For the Knights (11-5), the win snapped a stretch of three losses in four games. The team built a 13-point lead through three quarters, but the Mighty Warriors (6-10) managed to cut that down to one late in the fourth. Greenfield made the necessary plays down the stretch, however, with Juliette Robles drawing a charge and Serenity McNair knocking down six free throws in the fourth.
“That’s basketball,” said Greenfield head coach Bruce Wall. “Our run was the third quarter. They made their run in the fourth. We withstood their run. We made free throws that we had to have. I can’t say enough about Juliette getting that charge right there. We’re up one and she gets one with 20 or 30 seconds left, that could be a whole different ball game if we don’t get that charge. That was one of our top priorities today, to come in with energy and effort. We did that. … I can’t say enough about Serenity putting the ball in the hole when we had to have a basket.
Serenity McNair led Greenfield with 27 points in this one, followed by Darcy Dean with 17. Luisa Monsalve led the Mighty Warriors with 19 points, followed by Leticia Fakih with 17.
“It’s awesome,” McNair said. “It’s great to be able to have a victory like this after we’ve lost so many games in a short time span. We played great together. We rebounded well, we boxed out well, we played good defense and we just had each other’s backs.”
Greenfield brought a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter and extended it to 15, but the Mighty Warriors managed to cut that to three with 2:23 to play with a 12-0 run as the Knights started getting into foul trouble and turnovers became an issue.
With Greenfield up three with a minute and change left to play, the Mighty Warriors drew another foul, and a pair of free throws made it a one-point game. Greenfield managed to run off about 40 seconds on its ensuing possession before Mount Zion fouled McNair, and she hit both her free throws to make it a 50-47 game with 24.6 seconds left.
“I think it was just staying focused and not getting rattled when they made their run,” Wall said. “They put the full-court press on us knowing that we don’t have a lot of ball handlers. Serenity did a great job of facilitating the ball. We actually got a lot of great open looks, and they didn’t fall, which happens. But we took the right shots and she made the right passes. Thankfully, at the end, the ball was in our hands with the lead.”
An offensive foul on the ensuing Mighty Warriors possession gave Greenfield the ball back, and McNair split from the line to make it a four-point game. Mount Zion then cut it to two with about five seconds left, but McNair again went to the line and hit both her shots to seal the win.
“(The key was) just to stay true to me,” McNair said. “Because I know that I work on those free throws in game-like situations, put the pressure on myself whether it’s imaginary or real. I know I just have to breathe, stick to my basics and knock them down.”
The Knights got off to a strong start in this one, taking a 15-10 lead after the first quarter. Greenfield scored the last five points of the opening frame via a 3-pointer from Dean and layup from McNair.
Greenfield came out firing in the second quarter, frustrating the Mighty Warriors defensively and opening the frame with an 11-2 run to push their lead to 14. McNair did much of the damage, driving to the basket with impunity and also knocking down a 3-pointer.
Compared to last week’s loss to Wayne Country Day, the Knights did a much better job attacking the paint in this one, consistently working the ball inside for scoring opportunities, which in turn set up their outside shooting.
“That is one of our focuses,” Wall said. “We put it on the board before the game. Rebounds, getting in the post and being physical, not getting bullied. We got away from that some, but for the most part in this game, I thought we did a better job than we have in the past three or four games of actually putting a body on, rebounding and going after the ball.”
The Mighty Warriors managed to cut Greenfield’s lead to eight at one point in the third quarter with a 10-4 run, but the Knights pushed back with a 7-0 run to push their lead back to 15, including a deep 3 from the top of the key by McNair, to take their 13-point edge into the fourth quarter.
The Knights will visit NCISAA 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference foe Wayne Christian Friday night. That game’s start time has been moved up to 5:30 due to potential inclement weather.
MZC 10 10 12 17 — 49
GFS 15 17 13 8 — 53
MOUNT ZION CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (49)--Monsalve 19, Fakih 17, McLean 9, Blackwell 4.
GREENFIELD (53)--McNair 27, Dean 17, Holland 5, Robles 2, Bryant 2.
Posted on January 28, 2022
Greenfield’s Darcy Dean (10) looks to attack the basket during a 53-49 win over Mount Zion Christian Academy.
Greenfield’s Darcy Dean (10) goes for a layup during a 53-49 win over Mount Zion Christian Academy.
Greenfield’s Serenity McNair lines up a free throw against Mount Zion Christian Academy. McNair hit six key free throws in the fourth quarter of a 53-49 win.
Greenfield’s Serenity McNair (2) looks to drive past Mount Zion Christian Academy’s Daniella McLean. McNair led Greenfield with 27 points in a 53-49 win Thursday night.
By Andrew Schnittker
aschnittker@wilsontimes.com | 252-265-7807 | Twitter: @aschnitt53
The old saying that basketball is a game of runs might be a cliche, but it’s one that rings true from time to time, and certainly did in Thursday night’s game between the Greenfield School and Mount Zion Christian Academy girls basketball teams in Wilson. The Knights’ runs were stronger, as they held on for a 53-49 win over the visiting Mighty Warriors.
For the Knights (11-5), the win snapped a stretch of three losses in four games. The team built a 13-point lead through three quarters, but the Mighty Warriors (6-10) managed to cut that down to one late in the fourth. Greenfield made the necessary plays down the stretch, however, with Juliette Robles drawing a charge and Serenity McNair knocking down six free throws in the fourth.
“That’s basketball,” said Greenfield head coach Bruce Wall. “Our run was the third quarter. They made their run in the fourth. We withstood their run. We made free throws that we had to have. I can’t say enough about Juliette getting that charge right there. We’re up one and she gets one with 20 or 30 seconds left, that could be a whole different ball game if we don’t get that charge. That was one of our top priorities today, to come in with energy and effort. We did that. … I can’t say enough about Serenity putting the ball in the hole when we had to have a basket.
Serenity McNair led Greenfield with 27 points in this one, followed by Darcy Dean with 17. Luisa Monsalve led the Mighty Warriors with 19 points, followed by Leticia Fakih with 17.
“It’s awesome,” McNair said. “It’s great to be able to have a victory like this after we’ve lost so many games in a short time span. We played great together. We rebounded well, we boxed out well, we played good defense and we just had each other’s backs.”
Greenfield brought a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter and extended it to 15, but the Mighty Warriors managed to cut that to three with 2:23 to play with a 12-0 run as the Knights started getting into foul trouble and turnovers became an issue.
With Greenfield up three with a minute and change left to play, the Mighty Warriors drew another foul, and a pair of free throws made it a one-point game. Greenfield managed to run off about 40 seconds on its ensuing possession before Mount Zion fouled McNair, and she hit both her free throws to make it a 50-47 game with 24.6 seconds left.
“I think it was just staying focused and not getting rattled when they made their run,” Wall said. “They put the full-court press on us knowing that we don’t have a lot of ball handlers. Serenity did a great job of facilitating the ball. We actually got a lot of great open looks, and they didn’t fall, which happens. But we took the right shots and she made the right passes. Thankfully, at the end, the ball was in our hands with the lead.”
An offensive foul on the ensuing Mighty Warriors possession gave Greenfield the ball back, and McNair split from the line to make it a four-point game. Mount Zion then cut it to two with about five seconds left, but McNair again went to the line and hit both her shots to seal the win.
“(The key was) just to stay true to me,” McNair said. “Because I know that I work on those free throws in game-like situations, put the pressure on myself whether it’s imaginary or real. I know I just have to breathe, stick to my basics and knock them down.”
The Knights got off to a strong start in this one, taking a 15-10 lead after the first quarter. Greenfield scored the last five points of the opening frame via a 3-pointer from Dean and layup from McNair.
Greenfield came out firing in the second quarter, frustrating the Mighty Warriors defensively and opening the frame with an 11-2 run to push their lead to 14. McNair did much of the damage, driving to the basket with impunity and also knocking down a 3-pointer.
Compared to last week’s loss to Wayne Country Day, the Knights did a much better job attacking the paint in this one, consistently working the ball inside for scoring opportunities, which in turn set up their outside shooting.
“That is one of our focuses,” Wall said. “We put it on the board before the game. Rebounds, getting in the post and being physical, not getting bullied. We got away from that some, but for the most part in this game, I thought we did a better job than we have in the past three or four games of actually putting a body on, rebounding and going after the ball.”
The Mighty Warriors managed to cut Greenfield’s lead to eight at one point in the third quarter with a 10-4 run, but the Knights pushed back with a 7-0 run to push their lead back to 15, including a deep 3 from the top of the key by McNair, to take their 13-point edge into the fourth quarter.
The Knights will visit NCISAA 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference foe Wayne Christian Friday night. That game’s start time has been moved up to 5:30 due to potential inclement weather.
MZC 10 10 12 17 — 49
GFS 15 17 13 8 — 53
MOUNT ZION CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (49)--Monsalve 19, Fakih 17, McLean 9, Blackwell 4.
GREENFIELD (53)--McNair 27, Dean 17, Holland 5, Robles 2, Bryant 2.
