by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
Before Thursday night, no one on Meadowbrook’s docket had come within double digits, other than Central District foe Thomas Dale.
The Knights did it again, putting up another excellent fight before the Monarchs walked away with a 65-63 decision to put themselves in great position to take the district’s regular-season crown.
Meadowbrook point guard Crystal Smith nailed four clutch free throws late to keep it a two possession contest. She finished with 15 points and four assists.
So what was going through her mind at the charity stripe?
“Take my time and we’ll be No. 1 in the district.”
The Monarchs are, sitting at 8-0 in the Central, 14-0 overall. Dale dropped to 6-2, 11-3.
“They just give us a good game,” Meadowbrook coach Mike Knight said of the Knights. “Whenever we play against a good team we have to keep executing.”
Both offenses looked good early until Dale point guard Kalia Johnson picked up her second foul with 3:38 left in the first quarter.
With the freshman phenom missing, the Knights’ offense struggled to get going as Jessica Arnold (12 points) handcuffed Dale ballhandlers, helping to force six TD turnovers the rest of the quarter.
It helped Meadowbrook to a 19-10 lead as Smith got loose for seven of her 15 points. When she wasn’t scoring she was finding Deja Middleton for two of her team-high 18 points.
Dale rallied in the second quarter behind Johnson and Alyssa Frye. Johnson (nine rebounds, three assists) put in 10 of her 18 points in the quarter, while Frye hit seven of her game-high 25 points.
Meadowbrook’s lead shrunk to two, 33-31, at halftime.
“She was hard-nosed today,” Dale coach Kevin Coffey said of Frye. “She ran herself ragged today. She was trying to do it all.”
The lead played hot potato in the third quarter, changing hands 12 times before Meadowbrook claimed it for good on Courtney Coleman‘s score from a Smith assist for a 47-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Meadowbrook maintained the advantaged though Dale stayed on its bumper, until the Monarchs put up a 6-0 run, four coming from Middleton (15 rebounds, eight blocks). But a minute after Middleton fouled out.
Dale took advantage scoring five points in one possession to slice Meadowbrook’s lead to 59-57 with 1:40 left in the contest.
With the Monarchs’ main scorer on the bench, Smith took control running Knight’s set to a tee, finding Melissa Holmes with a nifty feed for a 61-57 advantage.
“We started going one-on-one,” Knight said of Meadowbrook’s offense. “Those last four minutes we executed our offense. Even with Deja on the bench, we were able to get good shots.”
Frye raced the ball back up and scored off the glass, cutting the lead two two. Dale fouled and put Coleman on the line.
She missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Holmes grabbed the rebound to set the table for Smith.
“We know we’re in contention,” Coffey said. “Our Achilles heel was rebounding. We just didn’t box out.”
Dale can’t do anything about the district crown now, as Meadowbrook has it all but locked up.
“Last year we tied with Prince George,” Knight said. “We ended up losing the No. 1 seed on a halfcourt shot. We didn’t want that to happen this time.”
Meadowbrook 19 14 14 18 – 65
Thomas Dale 10 21 15 17 – 63
Meadowbrook (8-0 Central, 14-0): Smith 15, Arnold 12, Forrest 2, Cunningham 2, Marks 4, Middleton 18, Holmes 6, Coleman 6. Totals: 26 12-16 65. 3-point goal: Smith.
Thomas Dale (6-2, 11-3): Frye 25, Johnson 18, Bradley 4, Key 0, An. Hobbs 10, Scott 4, Al. Hobbs 0, Jones 2. Totals: 25 11-19 63. 3-point goals: Frye 2.
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