Freshmen propel Columbia to second half surge in win
Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
The 10th ranked Columbia Lady Cougars overcame a sluggish first half of play and erased an eleven point halftime deficit to take a 43-38 win over Silliman in Clinton, Louisiana last night. Freshmen Anna Wilks and Meredith Bass each had 11 points to pace Columbia as the Lady Cougars improved their season mark to 10-3.
With a starting five consisting of two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior the Lady Cougars looked to be showing their youth in a first half in which Silliman rolled out to a fast 6-0 lead on two buckets from Bradleigh Brignac and a fast break lay-in from senior Kylee Dempsey. Columbia didn’t notch a basket until the 4:54 mark when Sissy Price powered in a basket in the paint and Silliman would capitalized on a turnover prone Columbia squad to build a 13-4 lead after one quarter of play.
(Above) Columbia freshman Meredith Bass (#10) shoots over Silliman's Bradleigh Brignac
Silliman grabbed their biggest lead of the night as Ashley Hurst canned two free throws and Kayla Davidson hit on one of two from the stripe to give the Lady Wildcats a 16-4 lead just one minute into the second quarter but from that point on the young Lady Cougars began getting some offensive flow.
Columbia cut Silliman’s lead in half at 16-8 on two Anna Wilks free throws and Greta Carley’s basket in the paint with 6:06 remaining in the half.
Silliman pushed their lead back to eleven points at 22-11 on Kayla Davidson’s baseline drive and lay-in at the 3:34 mark but Columbia matched the Lady Wildcats point for point for the remainder of the quarter to go into halftime facing a 26-15 deficit.
Silliman threatened to blow the game open midway through the third quarter as they took a 32-19 lead on two Davidson free throws at the 3:15 mark but Columbia’s two freshmen got hot.
Meredith Bass drained a 3-pointer from the wing to cut the lead to ten at 32-22 and on their next possession Columbia’s other freshman, Anna Wilks, hit a 3-pointer from the same spot to pull the Lady Cougars to within seven points at 32-25 at the 2:26 mark. Bass then nailed a ten foot jumper and Wilks one-upped her fellow freshmen with yet another 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in the quarter to pull Columbia to within two points at 32-30 heading into the final quarter of play.
(Above) Columbia's Sissy Price (#15) pressures Kayla Davidson (#30) of Silliman
After a Wilks free throw narrowed the deficit to one point Columbia took their first lead of the night at 33-32 on two Anna Wilks free throws with 6:17 remaining in the contest.
Silliman answered with an 18 foot jumper from Addie Roberts to put the Lady Wildcats on top 34-33 but they would see the lead no more as Columbia broke a 37 all tie on a Jacklyn Wilkes free throw with 2:42 left.
With 2:19 remaining Wilkes then served up an assist to senior Sissy Price in the paint to give Columbia a little breathing room at 40-37.
Following a Kayla Davidson free throw that cut the lead to 40-38 Columbia increased their cushion to four points at 42-38 on a Jacklyn Wilkes lay-in with 1:17 remaining in the game. Dianna Hobgood hit on one of two free throws with 8 seconds remaining to seal the deal for the 10th ranked Lady Cougars who earned a big road win.
(Above) Silliman's Morgan Ohlinger (#15) drives in the first half
“We had some big three’s in the second half and our freshmen hit them,” said Columbia head coach Reid McCay. “With such a young team we’re going to have some ups and downs but anytime you can go into an opponent’s gym and get a win it’s a bonus.”
Anna Wilks and Meredith Bass paced Columbia with 11 points each, Sissy Price added 8, Jacklyn Wilkes 7 and Claire Herring, Dianna Hobgood and Greta Carley had 2 apiece.
The Lady Cougars will host Class AAA powerhouse Presbyterian on Saturday with district play looming.
Silliman (4-7) was led by Kayla Davidson with 13 points, Morgan Ohlinger added 7, Ashley Hurst and Addie Roberts 5 apiece and Kylee Dempsey and Bradleigh Brignac 4 each.
The Lady Wildcats will face WCCA in Woodville on Thursday.
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