By Chris Stevens, Editor
Sanford girls’ basketball head coach Marcus Thompson has been hoping his team would get healthy in time for the home stretch of the regular season, which included Friday night’s titanic battle at top-ranked Ursuline.
There’s still some bumps and bruises on the Warriors but, battle tested as they are, they fought through it.
Sparked by the returning Jada Snow and junior forward Tyler Edwards’ 12=point night, Sanford handed the Raiders their first loss of the season by a 59-51 score, improving their own record to 14-3.
“Sanford and Ursuline always seem to have great games against each other,” Thompson said. “John [Noonan], he prepares his teams very well and we try to do the same.”
“We always come in with a game plan,” said Edwards, who sparked key runs in the first and fourth quarters to keep the Warriors ahead. “We still have some other big games coming up, but this was a good win for us.”
It was a game that you’d absolutely want to see again in the state tournament.
Ursuline (17-1) led 7-5 after Jezelle Banks fired a no-look pass to a cutting Skylar Bolden for a layup, but Edwards took the ensuing inbounds pass all the way to the rim for a layup and free throw that helped Sanford to a 17-13 lead after one.
The Raiders kept Sanford on their heels in the second quarter as a quick 7-0 run highlighted by layups from Banks and Hannah Kelley along with a three-pointer from Chamira Marshall-Brothers gave UA their final lead at 25-24 late in the second quarter. Sanford ran an elevator play that resulted in an Ellie Carter-Soriano three at the horn for a 27-25 halftime edge.
Snow, returning to the Sanford lineup had a couple of big shots in the second half, including a layup after isolating Banks on a mismatch to open a 10-point lead, then in a fourth quarter, a huge three-pointer to push the Sanford advantage to 13 (50-37).
“It felt amazing to be back” Snow said. “I’d been watching my teammates perform and I wanted to be out there with them. The shots I made felt natural. I was just doing what I’m supposed to do.”
Ursuline rallied late to close within 55-51 after a Taylor Brown three-pointer, but Zy Kilgoe (team co-leader in points with 14) made four of five free throws in the final seconds nailed down the victory.
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Both teams played an awesome game on Friday.