Joe Fenelon
NYCHoops.net Staff Writer
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DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md.- Throughout the tournament, the Lady Gauchos Elite team, had a tendency to start off slow and let their opponent get the lead.
J. Fenelon
Starr Breedlove
Usually they would overcome whatever the deficit was, but on Sunday during the U.S. Junior Nationals 17U girls championship, they would fall short losing to the Midwest Elite, 64-62
The game started off at a very fast pace, which would favor the super athletic Lady Choz on most days. Due to injury, the Lady Choz that usually go two deep at every position, only had eight in uniform and only six healthy players. Alyesha Lovett (Head Injury) did not play, while Titiana Wilson (ankle injury) played one possession when coach Ed Fontno realized she could not play on the ankle.
With 3:19 to play in the first half, Midwest Elite was ahead by five points but to finish the first half, the Gauchos went on an 11-3 run to give them a 41-38 lead going into half.
Right from the start of the second half, you could tell the Midwest Elite crew came to play. They went on a quick 5-0 run to regain their lead which they never relinquished .
In the last three minutes of the game, the Gauchos still only trailed 60-54. They applied a full court press that forced two turnovers that turned into made baskets. One basket by Starr Breedlove (19 points, 5 rebs, 4 steals, 3 assists), and the other by Briyona Canty (10 points 3 steals, 3 assists, 4 rebs).
Now trailing by two points with less than a minute, Canty stole the ball and tied the game at 62-62. Midwest Elite would not go away so easy, they scored on the very next possession. With 4.7 seconds to play Breedlove took the ball to the hole and got fouled with 0:04 seconds to play. Missing the first free-throw, Coach Fontno instructed Breedlove to miss the second, in hopes that they could get the rebound or tip it in. Those hopes were soon dashed as neither happened
Midwest Elite was led by 6'0" forward, Abbey Schmitt(Montini Trier HS, IL 2011) and 17 points and 5'8" sharp shooting guard, Melissa Dixon (Johnsburg HS, IL 2011). The Lady Gauchos were paced by 6'0" rising junior wing, Kahleah Cooper (Girard College HS, PA 2012) who put down 20 points to go with 10 rebounds and 4 steals.
