Simmons' steal caps Trojans' incredible comeback

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 27, 2016 11:09 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- Daria Simmons wanted to make up her defensive mistake in the closing seconds against Erskine (S.C.) College on Saturday afternoon.

Flying Fleet guard Myranda Parham stole the ball and Simmons accidentally bumped into Parham, which caused a collision near the Erskine bench. Seconds later, Simmons stole the ball.

The University of Mount Olive junior streaked downcourt and converted the go-ahead layup with 33 seconds to go. The Trojan women led 64-63.

"I was just trying to get a stop and do whatever I could to get that back because I know I just gave up a costly turnover," Simmons said as she wiped a small bead of sweat from her brow.

Aerial Johnson converted a free throw with 17 seconds to go and UMO -- which trailed by as many as 19 points -- pulled off an incredible, 65-63 victory on senior night inside Kornegay Arena.

Johnson, who missed five games due to a concussion, posted her sixth double-double -- 25 points, 10 rebounds -- of the season. Simmons provided nine points and a team-high four assists for the Trojan women, who won their eighth straight game.

Mount Olive (18-10, 16-6 Conference Carolinas) shared runner-up honors with King (Tenn.) in regular-season play, but drew the No. 2 seed for the conference tournament. The Trojan women entertain in-state foe Pfeiffer U on Monday.

Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Erskine (15-13, 14-8) seized a 19-point lead barely 13 minutes into the contest. The Flying Fleet buried five of their seven 3-pointers during that stretch.

"I think they were really coming to show us that they think we didn't play the Erskine that they were at their place, and their mindset was much better than ours at the start of the game," Trojans head coach Wendy Lee said. "They came with something to prove ... came in here with confidence and we started out sub-par on defense and they made us pay shot after shot after shot.

"We weren't taking care of business and it was concerning for me not seeing us guard better," Lee said.

UMO answered with 11-0 run, but could get no closer. Erskine entered the locker room with a 13-point lead -- one it would eventually let slip away, especially in the fourth quarter.

Naomi Stuger gave the Flying Fleet its final double-digit lead, 61-50, with 6:50 remaining in regulation.

The Trojan women responded with a game-ending 15-2 run that started with Rachel Fehl's 3-pointer -- her lone bucket of the game. Jada Bacchus (11 points), Kiara Jones and Johnson attacked the basket, and either pulled down critical offensive rebounds or converted free throws.

"The fourth quarter, we just of locked in, got a couple of late stops that got us the game," Simmons said.

Jones' layup, set up by Simmons' offensive board, closed the gap to 61-60. Two possessions later, Johnson posted down low and screamed "give me the ball!" to Fehl.

Fehl delivered a bounce pass and Johnson kissed it off the glass to make it 62-61. Stuger's two free throws put Erskine back in front 63-62 and set the stage for Simmons' heroic -- and game-clinching play.

"She held it together ... finished with the steal (and that) speaks highly of what she can do, the level she can go to when she locks in," UMO head coach Wendy Lee said. "She's got so many gears that she hasn't tapped into yet."

Erskine had one last chance, but Raygon Hendrix's shot was off the mark. Johnson, who logged a double-double (25 points, 10 rebounds) grabbed the ball as bodies tumbled to the floor and time expired.

"To come back from a deficit and having a team that was shooting the ball so well to only get nine points (in the fourth quarter) just speaks volumes about how hard our girls worked to defend."

Especially Simmons.