By: Dylan O’Loughlin
Oswego, NY — The Brockport Golden Eagles women’s basketball team returned from the break today in their first game back as they traveled to Oswego to take on the Oswego State Lakers. A strong first half was not enough though, as Brockport blew a 12-point lead in a 61-56 loss.
Photo Credits: GoBrockport.com
That result did not seem to be the case at first. Brockport was able to get it going early thanks to the scoring of guard Stephanie Jean-Baptiste, getting in a rhythm early as she had 11 points on 4-8 shooting and 3-3 from the three-point line in the first. A very bad shooting performance from the Lakers in the first quarter, 1-9 from three and 4-20 from the field, gave Brockport as big as a 9-point lead in the first and an ultimate deficit of six with Brockport leading 19-13 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter it was much of the same. Jean-Baptiste was still able to put points on the board as she ended the first half with 15 points. To go along with that scoring output from Jean-Baptiste, Brockport forward Zairea Hannah was able to make her presence felt in the first half, grabbing 12 rebounds the whole first half, 10 defensively, thanks to the poor shooting of the Lakers. She would finish with 20 total on the game. But, every time it seemed that Brockport was going to pull away, Oswego State went on runs. Thanks to a couple of threes from Oswego State guard Karleigh Leo and a three from Oswego guard Chastin Giles, the lead was only able to expand one point as Brockport won the quarter again, 13-12, and held a 32-25 lead heading into the half.
In the third quarter, Brockport still had their foot on the gas. The Lakers defense had adjusted to Jean-Baptiste’s scoring, so others got involved. Brockport forward Zoe Zutes, and guards Shannon Blankenship and Mandy Brink all got a couple of big buckets in the third. Zutes made a couple of post shots and a three in the third to give her 10 points and Brink hit a three as well to give her 7. Blankenship got her points doing the dirty work, all of her 7 points today would come from second chance efforts from her rebounding as she had 5 today. This would give Brockport as big as a 12-point lead in the third quarter with 7:50 remaining, but then things started to change.
Costly turnovers would get the Lakers back into this game. In the third quarter Brockport had 6 turnovers giving them 15 total on the game so far. They were outscored 14-3 in points off turnovers because of it. This would get Oswego back to this game and thanks to the ball handling and scoring of guard Shania Iglesias and forward Giavanna White-Prinicipio the Lakers would cut the lead to 5, making the score 46-41 heading into the fourth.
In the fourth the tides kept rolling for the Lakers. White-Prinicipio would make her presence felt throughout the fourth as she would be big on the glass along with the clutch layups she was able to put up. She finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds continuing to lead the team in scoring. Iglesias would lead the way along with her, every time she had the ball in her hand, she made the right decision. She finished with 14 points as well and 5 assists. Unfortunately for Brockport, they could not get any momentum going. Thanks to four more turnovers, giving them 19 in total on the day, and the poor shooting on offense the Golden Eagles could not get any points on the board and lost the quarter 20-10.
They had a chance in the end though. With 6.9 seconds remaining in the game Brockport had an opportunity down three to tie the game and send it to overtime. Everyone knew that the ball was going to Jean-Baptiste and when she got the ball, a great defensive play by Oswego guard Sydney Hoefs would deny the ball from going in as she got her hand on the ball, blocking Jean-Baptiste’s potential game-tying bucket. Jean-Baptiste would finish with 20 points and Brockport would lose 61-56 in the end.
The Brockport Golden Eagles fall to .500 on the season as they are now 5-5 after losing 4 straight. It’s the opposite for the Oswego State Lakers, though, as they improve to 7-2 on the season. The Golden Eagles have to put this one behind them as they have a game tomorrow January 6 at Cortland, the reigning SUNYAC champions, at 2 p.m.
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