Last-ditch, fourth-quarter rally not enough, 60-58

BROOKSVILLE - Tuesday night before his team played Central Florida Christian Academy, Hernando Christian Academy girls' basketball coach Jim Bragg was asked what he knew about that night's opponent.

"I know they're really fast and that they are a very good team," said Bragg.

That speed eventually enabled the Lady Eagles to build a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter that HCA overcame to force overtime.

Then it helped them again in the overtime as Terra Edwards converted two steals into baskets as CFCA defeated HCA, 60-58.

The sixth man

Edwards, who normally is a substitute for the Lady Eagles, used her speed to notch six steals and turned those opportunities into lay-ups as HCA slipped to 9-2 overall.

CFCA led 47-33 early in the fourth quarter on a basket by Edwards, who ended the game with 31 points.

But a fourth-quarter rally by the Lions led by Danielle Kuka, Madaline Hanshaw and Mary Ellen Langley brought the Lions all the way back to force OT when Langley hit a three-point basket with 12.6 left in regulation.

Unfortunately for the Lions, Edwards continued to be a pest for the Lions as she converted two steals into two baskets and then added a free throw with 4.9 seconds left in the extra period to give the 7-5 Lady Eagles the win.

"Hernando played really hard. We had them and they fought back and that's a tribute to their coach and their school," said CFCA coach Jack Michaels afterward.

"We just completely fell apart at the end," he added. "We're missing both of our starting guards and we got into foul trouble and that threw us out of whack."

Besides the play of Edwards, the Lions had trouble on the boards as CFCA out-rebounded HCA 64-47 as Shanice Malone had 16 rebounds while teammates Caitlin Foss helped out with 12 and Dionne Hird had 11.

At the half

CFCA led 28-20 at the half and increased the lead to 45-33 thanks mainly to 13 points in the quarter by Edwards.

Then Edwards hit a basket at the start of the fourth quarter to make it 47-33 and a win seemed assured for the Lady Eagles.

But Hanshaw scored eight points in the period while Langley added seven and Kuka six as HCA outscored the visitors 9-1 in the last two minutes of regulation to force OT.

"My girls, they just never quit," said Bragg. "They always fight and they knew they could come back. We had a couple of steals and hit the lay-ups and Madaline made a couple of baskets and Langley made the three to tie it. They brought us back because they hustled," said Bragg.

Taylor Zimmerman added nine points for CFCA while Malone had seven points to go with her 16 rebounds.

HCA was led by Madaline Hanshaw with 21 points and 11 rebounds along with 16 points from Kuka, 14 from Langley and 10 rebounds each from Meredith Hanshaw and Audrey Allen.

Bragg also admitted that the fact his team got out-rebounded by so much was not a surprise.

"Our tallest starter is five-foot, eight-inches," shrugged Bragg.

The Lions also were without two of their starters.

"Cassi Byrne missed the game because of the flu and Brittany Flowers suffered a concussion in the game against Cedar Key and will be out for at least three months," commented Bragg. "But if we want to get anywhere in the post-season, we have to get past a team like this."