Eagles girls shoot well late to earn conference tourney win
By Jessie H. Nunery
Rocky Mount Academy's season was touch-and-go early in the fourth quarter Tuesday night. The Eagles led the entire contest, but with seven minutes remaining, Henderson Crossroads Christian had cut an off-and-on double-digit deficit to only a single point.
Confidence and shot-making took over for Rocky Mount Academy at the right time.
Catherine Coats hit back-to-back shots, Katie Gutshall added a pair of three pointers, and Ann Claire Roberson connected on a three-point play.
It was all part of a game-defining, season-saving 15-1 run that gave the Eagles enough cushion to pull away for a 51-37 victory in the quarterfinals of the CPIC Tournament.
"It was a little iffy, and we were hectic at times, but we slowed it down and got it back together," Roberson said.
The Eagles advanced to Friday afternoon's semifinals against top-seeded Greenville Oakwood in a game that will be played at Halifax Academy.
Rocky Mount Academy won its first conference tournament game under coach Brent Acker with a stretch of basksetball that kept it from losing to Crossroads Christian for the second time in as many weeks.
The Eagles led, 31-30, with almost a full quarter remaining, and the visitors had all the momentum until often offensively-challenged Rocky Mount Academy began making shots.
Coats scored in the lane, then knocked down a jumper at the elbow.
Gutshall hit a three-pointer, then scored on a pump fake and short jumper.
Roberson, one of two seniors along with Coats, converted a three-point play.
Gutshall capped the run with another three-pointer.
Acker has repeatedly said that his team plays good defense, but has trouble scoring the magic number of 50.
It did for only the fourth time this season, and the shot-making could not have come at a better time.
"We probably played the best quarter of basketball we've played in that fourth quarter," Acker said. "We had our best all-around effort (Tuesday), and that's good to have this time of year."
Rocky Mount Academy won only three games last season but has improved that number to 14 this winter.
"We're taking the progression as a program where we can expect good things to happen because we're good enough," Acker said. "We have to play together because we don't have anybody good enough individually to carry us through."
By Jessie H. Nunery
Rocky Mount Academy's season was touch-and-go early in the fourth quarter Tuesday night. The Eagles led the entire contest, but with seven minutes remaining, Henderson Crossroads Christian had cut an off-and-on double-digit deficit to only a single point.
Confidence and shot-making took over for Rocky Mount Academy at the right time.
Catherine Coats hit back-to-back shots, Katie Gutshall added a pair of three pointers, and Ann Claire Roberson connected on a three-point play.
It was all part of a game-defining, season-saving 15-1 run that gave the Eagles enough cushion to pull away for a 51-37 victory in the quarterfinals of the CPIC Tournament.
"It was a little iffy, and we were hectic at times, but we slowed it down and got it back together," Roberson said.
The Eagles advanced to Friday afternoon's semifinals against top-seeded Greenville Oakwood in a game that will be played at Halifax Academy.
Rocky Mount Academy won its first conference tournament game under coach Brent Acker with a stretch of basksetball that kept it from losing to Crossroads Christian for the second time in as many weeks.
The Eagles led, 31-30, with almost a full quarter remaining, and the visitors had all the momentum until often offensively-challenged Rocky Mount Academy began making shots.
Coats scored in the lane, then knocked down a jumper at the elbow.
Gutshall hit a three-pointer, then scored on a pump fake and short jumper.
Roberson, one of two seniors along with Coats, converted a three-point play.
Gutshall capped the run with another three-pointer.
Acker has repeatedly said that his team plays good defense, but has trouble scoring the magic number of 50.
It did for only the fourth time this season, and the shot-making could not have come at a better time.
"We probably played the best quarter of basketball we've played in that fourth quarter," Acker said. "We had our best all-around effort (Tuesday), and that's good to have this time of year."
Rocky Mount Academy won only three games last season but has improved that number to 14 this winter.
"We're taking the progression as a program where we can expect good things to happen because we're good enough," Acker said. "We have to play together because we don't have anybody good enough individually to carry us through."