GIRLS' BASKETBALL: Lane powers Gators past Tigers

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 8, 2017 9:57 AM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Jordan Lane might have found a little confidence after a collision that nearly knocked her out of the ballgame Tuesday evening.

But Lane answered with a key steal and shot 6 of 10 at the free throw line during Spring Creek's 50-44 triumph over Carolina 1-A Conference foe James Kenan at "The Swamp."

"Jordan is a very good athlete," SC head coach Charlie Cotten said. "Sometimes I want her to go a little harder. Tonight, she really stepped up and that was huge for us."

With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, Lane and the Tigers' Diamond Cooper got tangled up near the Gators' bench. Cooper drew a foul on the play and then picked up an intentional foul.

Lane drained two of four free throws to push the Gators in front 45-44 with 1:45 on the clock.

"I wasn't sure that she was going to be able to get back in," Cotten said. "It appeared to me that when she landed, she bumped her head. Coach (Lester) Boltinhouse checked her out and said she was good to go."

At that point, Cotten flipped on the defensive switch.

SC went to a full-court press against the slower Tigers and forced two consecutive turnovers. One led to a Destiney Sutton free. Lane converted the second miscue -- an uncontested layup with 46.9 seconds remaining.

Sutton polished off the comeback win with a kiss off the glass from teammate Ashley Marriner. Marriner led all scorers with 16 points, followed by Sutton with 15. Lane and Belinda Carson each scored eight points.

Marriner and Sutton combined for eight assists.

Cotten opted to keep the press hidden to save his players' energy. He was down to one sub after Carson fouled out.

"At the end, I told the girls we have to turn them over now," said Cotten, whose team forced the Tigers into 25 turnovers.

"I thought if we could buy time and stay close, then that's when we were going to go to the press."