PG Is Ruled By Lion Pride in ‘07
Ron Bailey, Publisher
February 23, 2007 – The Prince George’s County Basketball Championships are in their fourth year of existence. Pitting the county’s girl’s and boy’s regular season champions in the 4A and 3A classifications against on another, the event has become a true ‘bragging rights’ affair.
For approximately the next 365 days that privilege squarely rests with the school on 505 Largo Road – Largo High School – as the Lions prevailed on both sides of the gender isle in the games played at Wise High School's state of the art gym. Adding to the drama was Largo’s previous 4A classification, which was changed to 3A this year.
Starting the festivities was the ladies’ game, which saw Largo defeat Eleanor Roosevelt 60-55, after finding themselves down 13-2 in the first quarter. Using good defensive pressure, and offensive dribble penetration, the Lady Lions took the lead with two minutes and 43 seconds in the second stanza.
Senior guard Rachel Barnes (20 points), indicated the team’s coach, Ayana Ball didn’t not have to motivate her charges to come back. “She didn’t have to save anything” said Barnes. “We knew what we had to do”.
The Lady Lions enjoy a light moment after the game.
Roosevelt’s Raiders, a powerhouse in Maryland girls hoops continued to fight, evidenced by their knotting the score at 39 going into the fourth quarter, and taking the lead with 7:04 to play via a stop and pop bucket from junior guard Brooke Wilson (14 points).
With the crowd into the game, fueling a seesaw battle, players for both squads left everything on the court, producing hustle plays galore. Largo’s senior forward Ashleigh Lee best personified that effort.
“She’s a hustle player, who is always in the right spot at the right time” said Ball, when asked if Lee is the glue that keeps her team in the right direction. “She’s the one who makes it happen…so I guess you could call her the glue”.
Unfortunately, “the glue” fouled out late in the game, with the Lady Lions leading 55-52. Three free throws later - two by Roosevelt sophomore guard Nikia Gibbs (16 points) - and the game was once again tied, with the clock reading 50 seconds to play.
About 32 seconds later, Largo guard Chanel Tharps – a junior – hit the shot of the game, a reverse layup on the baseline. Ball noted “She can really hit big buckets when she wants to” and of that shot “I’ll take it, from her”, but not everyone of her players, as in no way was the attempt easy.
Largo's Brittani Hillins shoots, while Chanel Tharps looks on.
Senior Brittani Hollins (20 points) then proceeded to ice the game, hitting three of four free throws, and extending a possession through yet another hustle play.
An emotional Hollins, immediately after the game ended responded “We just wanted it real bad…we wanted to go out with a win”.
Her coach, Ball, shared Hollins had additional motivation, given “Rod Hairston is her AAU coach” and as such Brittani wanted the victory very badly.
So did all the Lady Lions. “It’s a great rivalry. Playing in the 3A has been something of a step down for us” opined Ball. “We felt we had to get back to 4A status”: It’s her belief the roadmap to that destination not only required all out effort, but their trademark “full court, man to man defense, all the time”.
Both teams soon enter Maryland South Region playoff rounds, with Largo’s standing 21-1, and Roosevelt 19-3.