It may not have been the best performance of the year by the number one team in Class 2A girls’ basketball Friday night, but the Lady Griffins kept the game close enough to win their region opener over Columbia High School, 46-45,on a desperation turnaround hook shot by Jada Martin in the closing seconds.
Martin, who had been held to just two points while committing three fouls in the first half, came alive for 15 points in the second half. Martin scored five from the floor and seven from the line in the fourth quarter, including the winning shot on the in-bounds pass from Chyna Moore with less than 8 seconds to play.
The Lady Griffins trailed throughout the game, down 20-17 at the half and 30-27 at the end of three. With 5:40 left in the game, the Lady Capitals had extended their lead to 34-29, but the Fairfield Central defense tightened up and with 2:11 to play, a 3-pointer by Martin cut the lead to 41-39. With 1:28 remaining, Christian Thompson tied the game at 41 from the foul line, but the Lady Caps were on the move again, running up a 45-42 lead with 17.8 seconds to go. Martin then nailed a pair of free throws with 8.3 seconds left in the game to cut the lead to 45-44. All Columbia had to do next was get the ball in bounds and force Fairfield into a fouling situation. But the Lady Caps botched the in-bounds play, with two players out of bounds at the same time on the in-bounds pass, turning the ball over to the Lady Griffins and setting up Martin’s final shot.
The Lady Griffins host Eau Claire Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m.
FC—Jada Martin: 17, Christian Thompson: 13, Chyna Moore: 5, Chelsea Seibles: 5, Tiea Quanna Pearson: 2, Tanise Davis: 2, Raven Rivers: 3. CHS—Kiera Veal: 16, Alexis Foulks: 14, Wynter Straw: 8, Zaria Woodard: 3, Yashee Johnson: 2, Jerea Myers: 2.