GIRLS' BASKETBALL: Gators avenge loss to Devilpups

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on December 8, 2016 9:57 AM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Destiney Sutton scored a game-high 24 points, point guard Ashley Marriner made clutch free throws down the stretch and Spring Creek emerged victorious 52-42 in a back-and-forth, hotly-contested tilt with non-conference foe Lejeune on Wednesday evening at "The Swamp."

It was the second meeting between the two schools in five days.

Trailing 34-31 after three quarters, the Gators avoided the fourth period scoring drought that authored their road loss to the Devilpups last Friday, scoring 21 points through a balanced attack that saw a quartet of players enter the official scorebook.

Sutton foreshadowed Spring Creek's triumph with a nifty steal and a coast-to-coast "and-one" with 1:45 left in the fourth period. From there, Marriner iced the proceedings with keep-away ball handling and three swishes from the charity stripe.

It was a stark difference from last week, when the Gators managed just 10 points over the final eight minutes to lose a game they largely controlled from the outset.

"What we talked about in the fourth quarter was fouls," head coach Charlie Cotten said. "Get them in foul trouble, drive... get to the line. Once we got there, we could control the game. The girls responded well."

Particularly Sutton and Marriner, who combined for 41 of Spring Creek's 52 points. Shakera Williams also factored for the hosts, snaring 10 rebounds and making two critical free throws during the fourth quarter.

Lejeune (5-1) was led by the versatile Denijah Johnson, who filed an authoritative 19 points. Junior Jayda Bodine contributed 13 points.

Spring Creek (2-3 overall) plays host to Jones Senior on Friday.