THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas Night Hawks (3-3, 0-0 SSAC) battled out an upset over the St. Thomas Bobcats (4-2, 0-0 SUN) on Friday afternoon at the TU Gym.
Both teams traded blows in the early stages of the game, St. Thomas led 3-2 until a free throw from
LaTarius Montgomery tied the game for Thomas. Then a fast break layup from
Tieraney Bolton gave the Night Hawks the lead.
However, a 7-0 run gave the Bobcats back the lead, then a three-pointer with six second left put Thomas at a 4-0 deficit.
In the second quarter, the Night Hawks caught fire as Bolton knocked down a layup to make it a one-possession game. Next
Destiny Hill fought through the contact to make a layup and get the foul. After draining the free throw, Thomas gained the lead with 8:18 in the half.
The Night Hawks continued to have their way inside as Montgomery converted an and-one opportunity to make it a five-point game. However, a couple of quick scores from St. Thomas tied the game at 19. Then a layup put the Bobcats out front.
Facing a 23-19 deficit,
Aaliyah Ringold drained a three to cut the lead to one, then Bolton drew the contact again and made the bucket and drew the foul. After converting the and-one, the Night Hawks held a two-point lead.
Continuing to ride the run, Montgomery and Bolton worked in the paint, drawing fouls and making free throws. Ringold knocked down another three to extend the lead to eight.
With seven seconds to go in the half, Hill brought the ball up and tossed it over to Ringold who buried a three at the buzzer to send the Night Hawks into the locker room with a 11-point lead.
Thomas started out the second half as they ended the first, making back-to-back threes to begin the half. However, the buckets stopped falling for the Night Hawks, while for the Bobcats they went on a 11-0 run from the 4:47 mark in the third to close the deficit down to four.
The final quarter had both teams searching for a basket early on, until
Elicia Smith knocked down a three to go up seven. Ringold followed up with a triple of her own to bring the lead back to double digits.
St. Thomas continued to fight, ripping off an 8-2 run; bring the lead back down to four.
With 1:25 left, a Bobcat three cut the lead to one. As time kept ticking down, Montgomery drew a foul to go to the line. Knocking down both attempts to make the score 62-59.
Then a layup from St. Thomas brought it back down to one.
With 29 second left and no shot clock, the Bobcats fouled Ringold; sending her to the line. Making the first but missing the second, a foul by Montgomery sent St. Thomas to the charity stripe with an opportunity to tie. But they only made one of two keeping the Night Hawks in the lead.
Following a timeout, Ringold received the inbound and after being double teamed with nowhere to go, threw up a prayer to Hill, who got it and burned more clock until she was fouled.
At the line with 10 seconds left, Hill made the first to make it a two-point lead. Then she knocked down the second to go up three.
With no timeouts, the Bobcats tried to answer with a shot, but it was blocked by Montgomery, who was fouled with .1 seconds on the clock, and after making one of two. The Night Hawks prevailed 66-62.
The win marks the first time Thomas defeated St. Thomas in program history.
Montgomery finished with 14 points and 19 rebounds for her third straight double-double and her fourth overall this season. Ringold added 13 points, going 4-6 from deep. Finally, Hill had a double-double of her own with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Night Hawks will be at home for a rematch against Coastal Georgia on Wednesday, November 13
th at 5:00p.m.
