By: Dylan O'Loughlin
Brockport, NY --- Brockport women's basketball was in a comfortable position heading into today against Plattsburgh while the Cardinals were two games behind them in the SUNYAC. The Golden Eagles lost that comfort quickly though as the Cardinals defeated Brockport 52-44.
Stephanie Jean-Baptiste led Brockport in scoring today with 12 (Photo Credits: Liv Metz/Brockport Athletics)
The last time these two teams faced off, Brockport's Zoe Zutes and Stephanie Jean-Baptiste combined for 50 of Brockport's 70 points in the win. Today, Plattsburgh adjusted to them and made sure they could not take over the game again, leading to offensive struggles throughout the game.
"I think that Plattsburgh scouted us really well," Brockport guard Anna Lee said. "I think they knew they were scoring, and they just played them tight, we just have to move the ball more, get the ball out of their hands. They would have two people collapse on them, kick it out and it just wasn't in our favor when the shots did go up."
The first half showcased little to no offense on either side. Plattsburgh shot 7-31 from the field and 2-10 from beyond the arc in the first 20. Surprisingly, they shot better than the Golden Eagles as they shot 6-31 from the field and 0-6 from three. Plattsburgh forward Imani Walcott led all scorers with eight points and the leading scorer for Brockport was guard Anna Lee who had six points. Minimal scoring led to a 21-20 first half score.
"The ball just wasn't in our favor going in the hoop today," Lee said. "So hopefully next game it will be different."
That sentence summed up the day for the Golden Eagles. For the Cardinals, Walcott would be able to get 13 points to add to her total giving her 21 on the game. Brockport could not buy a bucket inside because of Walcott as she was the paint protector, recording 11 blocks to go along with her 21 points. Plattsburgh would build as big of a lead as 12 points in the third, but Brockport was able to get some offense going thanks to Jean-Baptiste and Zairea Hannah.
Jean-Baptiste and Hannah ended the third quarter and started the fourth quarter for the Golden Eagles on a 10-0 run. That was the most offense they got all game though as after that run, Brockport could not buy a bucket shooting 5-22 in the fourth quarter. For Plattsburgh, after getting punched in the face by a Golden Eagles scoring run, they responded.
It all started with a corner three from the freshman Selma Deisz. After that, the top scorers went to work, Walcott and Payton Couture. First Walcott got inside and was able to make a layup through contact and convert the and-one chance. After though, Lee responded with a three of her own. That would be the only three of the game for Brockport as they shot 1-16 in total from beyond the arc.
In a two-point game with 37 seconds left, Plattsburgh needed a score because a two-possession game felt like a four-possession game the way it was being played. After being quiet all game, the ninth leading scorer in the SUNYAC, Couture, knocked down a corner triple to extend the lead to five and put the game out of reach for the Golden Eagles as they were not able to respond.
Walcott went on to finish with 21 points, 11 blocks, and nine rebounds, one shy of a triple double and Couture finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds giving her a double-double on the day. For a team that had little scoring offensively, Jean-Baptiste led the way with 12 points for the Golden Eagles and Lee finished with 11. Hannah was next up with eight and also hauled in 13 rebounds to go along with it. Brockport shot 17-72 on the game and put up their lowest scoring total yet of 44.
"I think we can learn that we can't wait until the second half to start playing our game," Lee said. "It's got to come at both halfs, that's the biggest lesson. We just got to talk and stick together, and communicate with each when the shots don't go in."
The Golden Eagles go back to the loss column and under .500 with a 9-10 record and 5-7 record in SUNYAC play. On the other hand, the Cardinals get a huge win and a momentum booster heading down the stretch as they now sit one game behind Brockport in the SUNYAC, trying to take the last spot in playoffs away from them. Every game is a must-win scenario for Brockport now as they head to the 1-10 Buffalo State Bengals next this Tuesday, January 30, at 5:30 p.m.
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