By Phil Murphy
DigitalSports.com
Oakton 55, South Lakes 43
The
Cougars (9-1) began the game on a 9-2 run — utilizing their now
infamously accurate outside shooting and offensive rebounding — and
never retreated, holding off a late South Lakes (5-1) surge to defeat
the Seahawks 55-43 in the semifinals of the Cassel’s Sports Oakton
Holiday Classic.
The hottest hand for Oakton is still in her first year of high school. Freshman guard Zora Stephenson scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the first half, hitting four three pointers in those first 16 minutes.
“I
was open and there were great screens going on, so I got the ball and I
shot it,” Stephenson said. “[Shooting] is a big part of my game. It
basically is my game. I work on it a lot.”
However, for the Cougars, youth is not thematic. Only three players on their 14-player roster are not juniors or seniors.
“You
know that if someone gets hurt or someone is tired — they need a blow
— you can put someone in and still feel comfortable,” said Jackie Shewmaker, who finished with seven points and five assists. “You’re not going to freak out when someone goes in.”
That
depth is a necessity for the Cougars. Their history of success —
three-straight Concorde District championships — makes them a target
of rising teams. And as much as it may be downplayed to not excuse
on-court lapses, the departure of two-time Parade All-American and 2007
McDonald’s All-American Jasmine Thomas is unassailable.
“It’s
a lot of added responsibility,” Shewmaker said. “I would bring the ball
up a few times last year, but basically it would be Jasmine running the
offense. And not having another point guard is a lot.
“I’m going to get used to it I think.”
Watching
Shewmaker run the offense would make one feel she already is. The
Cougars have not missed a beat, and hope to continue their pattern of
success in the tournament championship game at 7:15 p.m. tonight.
** For ALL interviews and highlights, click here. The Oakton Holiday Tournament highlights are the last on the video player at the bottom of the screen**
McLean 49, Fairfax 39
In the first game of the consolation bracket, Fairfax (1-8) pulled within two points of McLean (4-4) with more than five minutes left in the fourth quarter, but Highlanders held off the Rebels for a 49-39 win.
McLean’s sure shooting from the free throw line can be credited for keeping Fairfax at bay. The Highlanders were 7-of-8 from the stripe in the game’s final two minutes.
“The foul shots were really key,” said senior Jess Stillman, who scored a game-high 24 points. “Those are easy points and things we need to make. I think that did it for us.”
No other Highlander totaled more than five points, partly because inside threat, Becca Altmeyer, a senior, was sidelined most of the contest with foul trouble.
Coming in, McLean had lost three consecutive games in which the average deficit was less than three points.
“We’re really close off the court, so we pick each other up on and off the court,” Stillman said. “We all help each other. That’s what makes us do well.”
** For ALL interviews and highlights, click here. The Oakton Holiday Tournament highlights are the last on the video player at the bottom of the screen**
Hayfield 56, Falls Church 40
The Hawks (2-5) used their inside-outside combination to perfection in a 56-40 win over Falls Church (0-9) in the second, and final, consolation game of Day Two of the Cassel’s Sports Oakton Holiday Classic.
Hayfield freshman guard Taylor Jewett and senior forward Heather Thornton tied for the team-high with 14 points each.
“I was just focused and relaxed,” Jewett said. “I didn’t let my nerves get to me. I came in in the zone and ready… I like having the pressure on me and succeeding.”
Jewett and Thornton combined for 15 points in the first half — the exact margin by which the Hawks led the Jaguars heading to the locker room.
Falls Church, to its credit, only allowed Hayfield to increase its lead by a single point over the final two quarters.
“Every half time, our coach gives us a spiritual speech,” Jaguars’ senior guard Alma Ortiz said. “She always tells us to not give up. At Falls Church, we’re kind of underdogs … we’re not going to get the calls from refs or sympathy from other coaches. So we have to keep our heads up and work as a team — never give up. That’s our motto.”
Ortiz paced Falls Church with a game-high 19 points, highlighted by a crossover dribble to layup in the final minute that left a Hawk defender on the ground.
“I was like, ‘I have to score, we’re down by 18 points,’ ” she said. “I hadn’t done a double crossover yet, so I crossed over once and saw she was kind of behind me. I crossed again and she fell. I saw she was behind my back. I threw up a little floater. It went in. It was great.”
Both teams advance to face familiar opponents on the last day of the tournament. Falls Church draws Fairfax in the seventh-place game, who they lost to by four points earlier this month, while Hayfield battles McLean, who they beat, 50-43, on Dec 7.
** For ALL interviews and highlights, click here. The Oakton Holiday Tournament highlights are the last on the video player at the bottom of the screen**
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