Heading into the Brant County senior girls basketball opener Thursday, Jerika Baldin and Abby Heron wanted to make a statement.
On home court, Baldin, Heron and the Assumption College Lions produced a thrilling 51-49 overtime win over the defending champion, St. John's College Green Eagles.
"It feels good to win this one," said Heron, who led all scorers with a 20-point performance.
"We were ready for this one."
But to do it, they needed some heroics from the supporting cast.
With Heron fouled out and the game tied 49-49, Baldin found a wide open Sara Harris down low with 18 seconds left in overtime to score her second and most important basket of the night.
"We just had to get the ball in. It was us against the clock," Baldin said. "I just kept watching the clock and I anticipated what they were going to do and then I saw Sara. What a great way to win."
Although Heron and Baldin said they were ready for the game, it was the Green Eagles who got off to a quick start. Fresh off a brilliant silver-medal performance at the Purple and White Tournament on the weekend at Western University in London, the SJC looked in mid-season form at both ends of the court, and held a six-point lead at halftime.
But then the Lions roared back. They stifled the Green Eagles, allowing only five third-quarter points. That trend continued in the fourth quarter thanks to some great full-court pressure.
And with 6 1/2 minutes to play in regulation, Grade 9 point guard Rikayla Baldin drained a three-pointer to finally give them a lead.
"We knew we weren't playing to our full potential," Jerika Baldin said. "We knew we just had to slow it down. We just had to execute while holding them down defensively."
And despite battling foul trouble, which included Heron's exit during the extra frame, the Lions persevered as their rivals pushed back to keep the game tied.
"It's a great way to start the year, but we know it's just the beginning," Jerika Baldin said.
And that's an approach Lauren Dubois and her Green Eagles teammates are taking, too.
"It's still only the first game of the season and it doesn't really dictate much," said Dubois, who got 11 points.
"Today we came out a bit nervous and shaky and I don't understand why."
She said despite only having four returnees, and a slew of juniors, the Eagles can make no excuses for the loss.
"Kendra was great out there for us," Dubois said of Kendra VanLeeuwen who led the Green Eagles with 16 points. "She did a great job, especially for being only in Grade 9.
"But Assumption played great," she said. "You have to give them credit."
Senior Results
Assumption 51, St. John's 49 (OT)
ACS: Abby Heron 20, Alex VanDyk 8, Rikayla Baldin 7, Jerika Baldin 6, Emily Gill 6, Sara Harris 4
SJC: Kendra VanLeeuwen 16, Lauren Dubois 11, Rebecca Dabur 10, Bridget Monkman 6, Megan Thompson 4, Monica Polgar 2.
North Park 57, Brantford CI 28
NPC: Allyson DeLorenzi 19, Abbey Johnston 14, Jessica Grant 10.
BCI. Rachel Adkins 9, Victoria Waud 5, Lexi Lancaster 5.
Paris 33, Pauline Johnson 30
Paris: Beth Stulen 18, Faye Perry 6, Alex Forsyth 7.
PJC: Tasha Irwin 5, Cara Antoski 4, Madeline Dailey 4.
Junior Results
St. John's 30, Assumption 20
SJC: Jen Garner 8, Bridget Kwasnik 6, Alex Girardi 6.
ACS: Lexi Gleason 4, Mihayla Markell 4.
Paris 46, Pauline Johnson 13
Paris: Suzanne Kelly 8, Sarah Pfeiffer 8, Courtney Boehmer 8, Avery White 14.
PJC: Chelsea Brook 7, Kayla Mackenzie 2, Adrianna Blittersalyk 2.
North Park 51, Brantford CI 23
NPC: Gabrielle Marton 8, Halle Sitarski 7, Sarah Minutiilo 6, Hattie Osborne 6.
BCI : K Madia 12.
Retrieved From: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/09/20/senior-lions-work-overtime-to-edge-eagles
