By Rob Patrick
Photos by Kevin Nagle
SHERIDAN — The Bryant Lady Hornets junior varsity team held their counterparts from Sheridan without a field goal in the second quarter then scoreless for a five-minute stretch in the second half [more] to build a lead of as much as 12. At the end, however, they had to hold on as the Lady Yellowjackets made a last-ditch run that trimmed the margin to 3.
Courtney Davidson, who led all scorers with 11 points, followed her own miss with :30 left to play to end Sheridan’s 9-0 run as Bryant’s JV secured a 35-30 win at Oliver Williams Gym.
Lauren Buck added 7 points, Hayley Murphy, Brittney Ball and McKenzie Rice each pitched in with 4, Callie Hogancamp had 3 and Carley Choate 2 for Bryant.
Bryant got out to a 7-0 lead on two baskets by Murphy and free throws by Hogancamp. But Sheridan tied it 7-7 early in the second quarter.
A 3-pointer by Buck at the 6:35 mark of the second stanza put Bryant ahead to stay.
Sheridan managed six free throws during the period and the Lady Hornets established a 15-11 halftime margin.
The lead was 22-16 when Davidson came through with a pair of baskets, both on follow shots producing the first double-digit advantage at 26-16. But a 3-pointer by the Lady Jackets before the end of the period whittled the margin to 7 going into the final seven minutes.
But after that 3, Sheridan didn’t score again until there was just 3:12 left to play. A free throw by Choate and a steal by Ball that led to a layup by Rice had the lead back to 10. Free throws by Buck and Davidson extended the margin to 12.
It was 33-21 when Sheridan began its late surge with 2:16 left. Despite a pair of Bryant timeouts, the rally trimmed the lead to 33-30 with 1:35 left to play.
Sheridan had a chance to get closer but misfired. Murphy rebounded and, at the other end, Davidson scored the clincher.
