(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – Wilson held off a scrappy Keystone squad and won its fifth consecutive game by a score of 57-55 on Wednesday evening.
Jewels Torres (Fy., York, Pa. / West York) hit a pair of free throws with 3.7 seconds left in the game to put the Phoenix ahead and the defense held off a last-second attempt by the Giants to preserve the win.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 57, Keystone 55
Venue: Gannett Field House
Records: Wilson 15-6, 12-3 CSAC; Keystone 8-14, 7-8 CSAC
How It Happened
- Keystone showed it came to play and jumped out to an early 7-1 lead as it opened the game 3-for-4 from the field. The Phoenix defense then stepped up and held the Giants scoreless for the final 6:17 of the period. As a result, Wilson was able to go on a 10-0 run on the opposite end. Yaya Cannon (Sr., Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic) led the charge with a jumper before Adrianna Stricek (Fy., Harrisburg, Pa. / Trinity) followed by scoring on a put-back layup after an offensive board and hit the and-1 free throw to tie the game. Samira Murphy (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va. / Great Bridge Christian) and Bry Hicks (So., Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic) both hit buckets to close the quarter with Wilson up 11-7.
- The Giants answered and regained the lead at the start of the second, but Laela Robinson (Fy., Lancaster, Pa. / Conestoga Valley) stepped up in a big way for the Phoenix. A 3-pointer from her tied the game at 19-all just under the five minute mark, and she later closed the half with a jumper just before the halftime buzzer on a dish from Hicks to send Wilson into the locker room with some momentum and a 24-21 lead.
- Wilson looked poised to take control and pull away with an 8-0 run to make the score 32-23 just 2:26 into the third. It was the Phoenix's largest lead of the game, but the Giants wouldn't go away so easily. Outside shooting helped the Giants stay close and cut the deficit back down to two at one point before Wilson pushed the lead back to five heading into the fourth.
- Robinson led off the fourth with her second triple of the day, but the Giants came back with one of their own and sparked a 10-0 run to give the visitors a 48-46 lead. Another Keystone trey put the Giants up 51-48 midway through the quarter, but Wilson came back to take the lead on baskets by Torres and Hicks. After free throws by Cannon and Murphy later put Wilson up 55-53 with 1:12 to go, the Giants eventually tied the game on a Riley Berry layup with 19 seconds left.
- A jumper by Murphy in the final 10 seconds was off the mark, but she was able to pull down the rebound and dish it off to Torres who was fouled with 3.7 second left. She sank the bonus free throws, and after their last timeout, Keystone was left with one last opportunity. Wilson was able to tip the in-bound pass to start the clock early leaving Keystone to rush its shot, but it hit the right side of the iron and went out as the buzzer sounded.
Inside The Numbers
- Robinson played her finest game in her first year as a Phoenix and scored a season-best 15 points. She was 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the arc. It's the third time this year she's scored in double figures.
- While Robinson was the only Phoenix to score in double figures offensively, Murphy and Stricek did so on the glass. Murphy earned co-game high honors with 13 rebounds and shared the accolades with Keystone's Kaitlyn Slaboda. Stricek was right behind them with a dozen.
- The caroms proved pivotal, especially on the offensive end where Murphy pulled down seven and Stricek added five. Overall Wilson totaled 20 which converted into 18 second chance points. Overall the Phoenix controlled the glass by a 52-36 margin. It helped offset one of the few games that Wilson was outscored in the paint this season.
- Cannon was just shy of double figures with eight points, but had a complete, well-rounded game with eight rebounds and six assists. She added two steals on the defensive end as well.
- Keystone was led by Kwashanti Holmes who scored 18 points on 8-of-13 from the field. Berry added 14 for the Giants.
Up Next
The Phoenix will head to the Garden State this Saturday for a return matchup with Saint Elizabeth. Tip-off with the Eagles is set for 1 p.m.
