by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde.
When she’s not playing basketball, Ruthanne Doherty is soft-spoken, shy and nice. Basically just a cool, laid-back person.
When L.C. Bird’s star is on the hardwood, it’s a whole different story. Monday night’s bedtime story was read by Doherty, as she put Meadowbrook to sleep in a 64-51 victory, the Monarchs’ first loss of the season.
Doherty snatched 23 rebounds – a career high – and scored 19 points to lead the No. 4 Skyhawks over the No. 2 Monarchs, as ranked in the DigitalSports Top 10.
“I don’t know how many points she had,” Bird coach Chevette Waller said. “But I think she did a pretty good job on the boards. The big thing is she came up with 23 rebounds. I don’t know how she got open that often.”
One explanation is effort. One is ridiculous athleticism. One is heart.
Put the trio together and you have the 5-10 Doherty more than holding her own in the paint versus Medadowbrook’s 6-4 Deja Middleton, who also had a stellar night with 16 points and 17 rebounds.
“I wasn’t scared,” Doherty said. “I just played my hardest. I played like I was her size. Height doesn’t mean everything, but you have to have the heart.”
Doherty and her teammates did in the first half, especially fellow team leaders Bianca Vaughan and Barbara Sitton.
Sitton sliced Meadowbrook’s lane with a Magic Johnson fake and a nifty layup for a 7-2 lead early. Then Doherty hit Vaughan who hit a 3-pointer from the corner, her first of four bonus shots on her way to 17 points.
“She hasn’t shot the ball like that all season,” said Meadowbrook coach Mike Knight of Vaughan, his AAU player.
It gave Bird a 15-9 lead going into the second quarter that quickly ballooned to 15 points on Doherty’s fifth field goal of the second quarter. Bird went into the break ahead 36-22 as Meadowbrook was stunned.
“Basically I told the girls that this is a stress-free game,” Waller said. “We really didn’t have anything to lose.”
Meadowbrook didn’t either, except for their unblemished mark.
The Monarchs came out the second half like they wanted to keep it that way, going on a 12-0 run to cut the deficit to 39-34 with 4:26 left in the third quarter.
Meadowbrook PG Crystal Smith (18 points, six assists) had five points and an assist in the run.
“I think Crystal Smith,” Waller said, “hands down, is a very talented young lady.”
Bird (12-4) found their scoring touch once again after a Waller timeout, but the Monarchs (14-1) were still within seven heading into the final period.
Doherty started that stanza with an old-fashioned three-point play, giving Bird a 52-42 lead.
Meadowbrook would decrease the lead to seven numerous times, but couldn’t get any closer as missed free throws (8 for 21), layups and turnovers plagued Knight’s ladies.
“Just one of those games,” Knight quipped. “Monday’s are our worst days of practice and I knew one of these Monday games would catch up to us. I want to credit L.C. Bird tonight, they came to play.
“All I can say is we played bad, and we picked the wrong game to play bad.”
Meadowbrook 9 13 20 9 – 51
L.C. Bird 15 21 13 15 – 64
Meadowbrook (14-1): Smith 18, Arnold 2, Forrest 0, Cunningham 3, Kat. Marks 4, Coleman 6, Middleton 16, Holmes 2. Totals: 20 8-21 51. 3-point goals: Smith, Cunningham, Coleman.
L.C. Bird (12-4): Vaughan 17, Robinson 2, Reynolds 8, Doherty 19, Sitton 12, Smith 6, Coles 0, Harris 0. Totals: 21 17-26 64. 3-point goals: Vaughan 4, Reynolds.
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