A Most Incredible Sporting Event
3/13/2009 4:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Dean Schuyler (Commentary and opinions by Dr. Schuyler do not necessarily reflect those of the College of Charleston or the athletics department)
Whether or not you follow Women's Basketball, you were probably aware that Coach Nancy Wilson's College of Charleston team has had a very successful season. With a record of 23-8, the Lady Cougars won a richly deserved fourth seed in the recently concluded Southern Conference Championships in Chattanooga.
Thursday's first round games mostly followed form, as the higher seed won the first two contests: App. State beat Furman and UNCG beat Wofford. The first upset came courtesy of eleventh seeded Elon, which upended #6 Georgia Southern.
On Friday, perennial #1 Chattanooga, the host team, easily dispatched #8 Appalachian State, 86-53. At the unheard of hour of 9 AM, #2 Samford beat #7 UNCG, 57-48. On Saturday, #3 Western Carolina, a frequent finalist as well, eliminated Elon, 71-52. Earlier that day, #4 College of Charleston prevailed over #5 Davidson, 65-54.
It all set up a predictable semi-final round in which #1 played #4, and #2 played #3. I was told by an informed observer that, in Women's Basketball, seedings tended to determine outcome far more often than in the Men's game. “We'll see,” I thought.
Sport South televised the semi-finals on Sunday. They got much more than they bargained for when Charleston took an early lead on Chattanooga. When the Lady Mocs caught up, a Cougar lay-up by Deidra Jones proved to be decisive, with less than 4 seconds remaining. The final score was 53-51, Cougars.
The outcome was a surprise, but game two provided another upset when Western Carolina (#3) beat Samford (#2), 65-54. That set up the Championship Final at 3 pm. Monday between Charleston and Western. It would prove to be a sporting event of the first magnitude, and a cable television feature that no one who chose to tune in will ever forget.
The Lady Catamounts compiled a record of 19-11 during the regular season to earn the 3rd seed. They sustained two losses in league play to Georgia Southern, lost at home to Samford and Chattanooga, and lost on the road at Davidson and at The College of Charleston. They won all the rest, and to conclude their season, Western won its final 7 games.
Meanwhile, the Lady Cougars lost twice to Chattanooga and Samford, and lost at Western. They won all the rest, with the last four games all victories. Each team had to win twice to reach the Championship Game.
Charleston was led in scoring by the diminutive Tonia Gerty (11.6 ppg) and the recovered Jade Hughes (11.3 ppg). Brooke Kotcella (8.8), Jones (8.7) and Nikki Williams (8.0) were consistent scoring contributors. The Lady Cougars were playing with a reduced squad of only seven players. (Ericka Williams-6 points, and Sarah Moye- 6 points, filled out the squad.)
Western had, by far, the tallest competitor in their leading scorer 6'4” Brooke Johnson (11.0 ppg). Lauren Powell (10.5) and Emily Clarke (9.7) were major scoring contributors. Their 9-person playing squad provided significantly more depth.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Charleston led by 6 points after 8 minutes, 19-13. A seven point Western run produced a lead change (20-19) with nine minutes to go in the first half. Gerty's three was matched by Powell, but the last 8 minutes were all Cougars, as Charleston cruised to a 12 point halftime lead, 37-25. Hughes (11 points), Gerty (8) and Jones (6 points, 6 rebounds) dominated for Charleston.
With 11:25 remaining, the Lady Cougars continued to lead by 11 points. That's when three point shooting by Clarke brought the Lady Catamounts back into the game. After hitting two consecutive threes, two free throws by Clarke tied the score at 51. 8:44 remained. The final eight minutes belonged to Western. It appeared that they had done enough to win a championship. With only 25 seconds to go, Western led by 5, 70-65.
Then Gerty hit a quick three, stole the ball, and added a tying lay-up with only two seconds on the clock, 70-70. Each team had four double figure scorers over the regulation forty minutes. Gerty (18) led the Cougars; Kristin Feemster (15) and Clarke (15) led the Catamounts.
FIRST OT
Charleston raced to a 4 point lead on lay-ups by Jones and Moye. When Western tied the score (with 11 seconds to go), Charleston set up Moye for the leading jump shot, with only 1.8 seconds remaining,
76-74. There would seem to be no way to score two points, with an inbounds pass coming from under the far basket.
Western designed a play where the inbounds passer ran the baseline, and her intended receiver ran parallel to her, hoping to force an obstruction foul. That actually occurred, putting Powell on the free throw line with two shots, down, 76-74. She calmly sank both.
SECOND OT
A lay-up by Gerty, a three pointer by Hughes, two free throws and then a jump shot by Moye, and Charleston once again led, 83-78. With just under two minutes remaining in the five minute overtime, it was crunch time now for Western. Powell hit a three pointer, and then sank two more foul shots to tie the game at 85, with 45 seconds to go. Each side missed an opportunity, and there would be a third overtime.
THIRD OT
Gerty missed a jump shot, but four consecutive Cougar rebounds gave Charleston its last lead as Jones hit a lay-up, 87-86.With 3:46 remaining, the Cougars' 87th point would be their last. Threes by Johnson, Heather Swayne and Clarke extended Western's advantage to 95-87. Free throws padded the lead and made the final score 101-87.
The minutes played were revealing, and staggering! Hughes set a tournament record with 52. Gerty had 51, Moye-48, Williams-45, Jones- 44. Gerty finished with 20 points, Hughes-19, Moye-18 (and 8 rebounds), Jones -14 (and 12 rebounds) for Charleston. For the game, the Lady Cougars hit 41% of their field goals; Western-48%. Johnson led all scorers with 21 points (and 13 rebounds), Powell-19, Clarke -18 (4 threes), Feemster-15 and Swayne-12. Johnson wound up playing 47 minutes and Clarke 43. The game lasted well beyond its two hour allotment.
Jones, Hughes and Gerty joined Western's Johnson on the All-Tournament First Team. Charleston's effort (with a seven person squad) was heroic. The outcome produced devastation for the Cougars. The two teams had produced a championship game that would live in SoCon annals for all time.
