(ALLENTOWN, Pa.) – In the final Skye Division game of the calendar year Wilson got back in the win column with a well-balanced effort on the road at Cedar Crest on Saturday. The Phoenix used an 8-0 run to vault ahead of the Falcons, staved off a second quarter rally, and pulled away in the second half for the triumph.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 69, Cedar Crest 48
Venue: Lees Gymnasium
Records: Wilson 3-6, 3-1 Skye; Cedar Crest 1-6, 1-4 Skye
How It Happened
- The Phoenix were able to set the tone with a 14-1 run that put them up double-digits in the first quarter. Mackenzie Caldwell-Degnon (Fy., Rockville, Md. / Richard Montgomery) and Yaya Cannon (Gr., Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic / Elizabethtown) lit the fuse early on as they scored the opening six points. Allie Cullison (Jr., Westminster, Md. / Winters Mill / Kean) then caught fire with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws for a 14-3 lead.
- Cedar Crest remained competitive and took a run at the lead in the second quarter with an 8-0 run to cut Wilson's lead to 19-16. After a pair of Jewels Torres (So., York, Pa. / West York) free throws, a triple by the Falcons' Bryanna Rivera put the hosts within two. The Phoenix averted the threat as they returned down the floor to answer with a trey of their own from Cullison and a Cannon layup. After a Falcons layup, the Blue and White used another 3-pointer by Caldwell-Degnon and an Adrianna Stricek (So., Harrisburg, Pa. / Trinity) layup to take a 31-21 lead into halftime.
- The lead hovered around 10 points for most of the third quarter until the Phoenix started to extend their advantage late in the period with a 10-2 run. Laela Robinson (So., Lancaster, Pa. / Conestoga Valley) opened it up with a couple free throws, Cullison followed up with a jumper after a Falcons' turnover, a Lae Black (So., Laurel, Md. / Meade) steal led to a layup from Stricek, and Torres added the final four on a jumper and a pair of free throws on the fast break.
- Wilson closed out the game in dominating fashion as it shot 62.5% in the fourth quarter to make sure the Falcons never threatened. Caldwell-Degnon remained hot as she went 3-for-4 in the fourth with a trey for a third of the Wilson points.
Inside The Numbers
- Caldwell-Degnon finished with a team-high 14 points, one shy of her season-high. She went 6-for-10 from the field in doing so with a pair of 3-pointers on two attempts.
- Stricek returned to the lineup to drop 12 points after she was 4-for-7 from the field.
- Torres had one of her best games of the season as she matched her season-best with 11 points for the third time this season including for the second game in a row. She was 3-for-6 from the field, a perfect 5-for-5 at the line, and dished out a team-best five assists.
- Cullison hit double-digits for the fifth consecutive game with 10 points with a pair of 3-pointers.
- Black was a bucket away from a double-double as she finished with eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
- Wilson's first quarter run came as it played one of its best defensive periods of the season. The Falcons were limited to just 2-of-19 for 10.5% in the opening 10 minutes.
- Wilson's 21 assists set a new season-best by three.
- The Phoenix controlled the glass by a margin of 44-35.
- The Falcons were led by Nicole Sachman who scored a game-high 16 points. She was 7-of-16 from the field and a rebounds shy of a double-double. Jordan McGhee added 12 points while Rachel Bilger had a double-double on 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Up Next
The Phoenix will have the week off before resuming action in Staunton, Virginia, against Mary Baldwin. Tip-off with the Fighting Squirrels is set for 2 p.m. on December 16.
