Trinity lights up Porter’s Chapel
Published 12:00 am Sunday, December 17, 2000
Perhaps it was a good thing for Trinity Episcopal’s varsity girls basketball team that the lights went out at Clyde Adams Arena during its game with the Porter’s Chapel Academy Lady Eagles Saturday afternoon.
It may have been the flickering lights that helped he Lady Saints come back from a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat the Lady Eagles 84-81 in overtime.
&uot;To God be the glory,&uot; said Lady Saints head coach Melanie Hall. &uot;It was a good game for us.&uot;
The lights went out twice during the game, first with 48 seconds left in the first quarter and the second and final time at halftime with Trinity (15-2) trailing Porter’s Chapel (11-6) 43-34.
Sara Greer kept Trinity in the game in the first half with 15 of her team-high 27 points. She also had nine rebounds.
After a nearly 30-minute delay, coach Hall and Porter’s Chapel head coach Mitchell Willis decided to play the second half, and eventually an overtime period.
&uot;They didn’t want to come all the way from Vicksburg and play just one half,&uot; Hall said.
With the entire second half being played with a stopwatch because the scoreboard went out, Trinity made an outstanding comeback.
Led by Greer, Ashley Kingsafer and Vanessa Gordon, the Lady Saints outscored the Lady Eagles 23-12 in the third quarter to take a 57-55 lead.
The Lady Eagles led by two in the fourth until Trinity’s Becky Bass nailed a jumper with just two seconds left to force overtime.
The Lady Saints outscored the Lady Eagles 9-6 in the extra period for the win.
&uot;I was proud of my girls the way they played in the second half,&uot; Hall said. &uot;They showed a lot of character. They all stepped up together.&uot;
Kingsafer finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds and Gordon had 16 points, four rebounds and three steals for Trinity.
The varsity boys game was called due to darkness before the start of the third quarter with Trinity leading Porter’s Chapel 35-25 at halftime.
The game was called an official game, which means Trinity is now 9-2 with the win and Porter’s Chapel drops to 0-14.
Chad Ridley had 21 points and nine rebounds and Mike Lickliter had seven points, three rebounds and five steals to lead Trinity.
&uot;I hate to take a win like this,&uot; said Saints head coach David King.
Both of Trinity’s varsity teams next play in the Sharkey Tournament on Dec. 28-30.