Mustangs Ride Into Championship
Watkins and Womack Combine For 44
Down 12 entering the 3rd quarter and with Sarah Watkins picking up her third foul earlier in the 1st half, things were not looking up for the Houston Lady Mustangs. Houston’s 6’3 F/C Watkins started to show why she’s one of the areas best players.
Down 12 entering the 3rd quarter and with Sarah Watkins picking up her third foul earlier in the 1st half, things were not looking up for the Houston Lady Mustangs. Houston’s 6’3 F/C Watkins started to show why she’s one of the areas best players.
Sarah Watkins c/o 09
The junior hit a jumper off a glass to make the score 48-38 with 4:58 left in the 3rd. Melrose guard Danielle Patterson got a lay up and Teniesha Lurry hit a 3 to put Melrose up 56-46 going into the 4th. Coach Newman looked to take the air out of the ball but miscues hurt his young team as fans in the stands started to get infuriated with, Melrose’s willingnesss to just let the time tick away. Sarah Womack of Houston got a steal in the middle of the court and layed it in to cut their deficit of once 12 points to 4, 56-52 with 6:00 minutes remaining in the game. Watkins converted a lay up before Lawanda Clayborn of Melrose hit a tough jumper from the elbow to put her team back up 4, 58-54. Two 5 second calls in a row got the Mustangs within 1, 60-59 on a who else but Watkins jumper with 1:15 left. Melrose freshman Kyesha Vinson went to the line after being fouled, but she missed the front end of the 1 and 1. On the next possession, Watkins was fouled on her turnaround attempt sending her to the line with 33.4 seconds left. She would hit both free throws giving Houston their first lead of the game, 61-60. Melrose’s last shot attempt came up short with many of their faithful fans thinking Clayborn, got fouled. Houston would get their second straight improbable win, 63-60.
Watkins scored 17 of her game high 27 points in the second half with Lauren Witt surprising Melrose with 17 hitting 4 3-pointers. April Hall and Lawanda Clayborn were in double figures with 21 and 14 points.
Watkins scored 17 of her game high 27 points in the second half with Lauren Witt surprising Melrose with 17 hitting 4 3-pointers. April Hall and Lawanda Clayborn were in double figures with 21 and 14 points.
East Rolls In the North
Mustangs Advance To Face Houston
Judging by Central’s size and being led by several seniors, you had to think that experience might have come into play and it did but just not for the team that you may have though. East led by the very quiet but effective Wanda Jones and 3 very good guards in Candis Clear, Brandi Young and who many say is the best guard in the city, Adrienne Pratcher.
Judging by Central’s size and being led by several seniors, you had to think that experience might have come into play and it did but just not for the team that you may have though. East led by the very quiet but effective Wanda Jones and 3 very good guards in Candis Clear, Brandi Young and who many say is the best guard in the city, Adrienne Pratcher.
Adrienne Pratcher: Lead Mustang c/o 09
Young came out smoking hitting three 3-pointers as East looked to be the much more aggressive team, 14-8. Central would storm back with a 13-2 run after a Jasmine Taylor 3 to close the 1st quarter, 21-16 with the Lady Warriors leading. The Lady Mustang’s hot shooting faded as Central’s tall frontline started to give Coach Jones’s squad a bit of trouble. Combo guard Tina Stewart, missed a lay up attempt but got her own rebound for a 3-point play as the Warriors went up 16, 36-20. Clear and Young combined for 5 straight points as East went into the locker room up, 36-26. Erica Burgess excited Central’s fans with a great show you ball fake lay up for a 9 point advantage for her team. Coach Bray’s offense began to run smoothly as they got 2 uncontested lay ups before Allyson McNear hit a Lanette Green with a touch pass. East closed in using a 7-0 run including a pretty fadeaway by Pratcher for 55-54, 1 point Central lead. The Mustangs went up for the first time since the 1st quarter, 60-59 on a steal and lay up with 3:5O remaining in the game. East was up 3, 69-66 with 24 seconds left before Stewart tied it with a 3. Candis Clear took a 3 attempt and the always attacking guard was fouled sending her to the line with 12 seconds left. The junior guard hit 2 out of 3 for a 71-69 lead. Central had chance to tie it but they came up short securing the East Mustangs in the Region Championship with a final score of 71-69.
Pratcher and Young both tied for the leading scorers for their teams with 17 apiece. Cleosha Lee also played a solid game with 14 points. Stewart and Taylor played their hearts out with Stewart scoring 23 and Taylor having 25.
Pratcher and Young both tied for the leading scorers for their teams with 17 apiece. Cleosha Lee also played a solid game with 14 points. Stewart and Taylor played their hearts out with Stewart scoring 23 and Taylor having 25.
Tennessee Regional Coverage
Two Mustangs: Different Engines (07-08)
Watkins Huge With 38
There is the Mustang by Shelby and the Mustang Cobra, both are nice cars, but it is the Shelby that has more HP. Tonight Houston sat in the Shelby... Houston’s surprising run to the state continued in the heart of North Memphis at Northside High as they took on perennial girl’s power, the East High Lady Mustangs.
There is the Mustang by Shelby and the Mustang Cobra, both are nice cars, but it is the Shelby that has more HP. Tonight Houston sat in the Shelby... Houston’s surprising run to the state continued in the heart of North Memphis at Northside High as they took on perennial girl’s power, the East High Lady Mustangs.
Sarah Watkins c/o 09
This was also a match up of the two top players in the 2009 class with Sarah Watkins of Houston and Adrienne Pratcher of East. Could Houston win the Region after a so so season?
Adrienne Pratcher c/o 09
901PrepScoop picked up the action in the second half with Pratcher hitting a 3 on an assist from Brandi Young to make the score, 31-26 with East leading. Fouls added up for East as Houston got into the one and one with 3:00 minutes remaining in the 3rd.Chanera Macklin’s free throw jumper kept her team up 41-36. Paige Taylor of Houston would score on a lay up before Jasmine Wilkins of East got a rebound off a missed shot and put it back to end the 3rd quarter, 43-41. Watkins went to her bread and butter off the glass and put her team only down 2, 45-43. The East guards looked to conserve some time going into a little bit of a weave but a turnover, a Lauren Witt 3 and Watkins turnaround gave Houston the lead with 2:15 left in the game. With game tied 50-50, Houston had a chance to win it but a turnover gave East an opportunity. Pratcher drove the ball to the middle and the defense drew in as she kicked it to her teammate who looked to be very surprised that she was so wide open. The shot went a little long over the rim forcing the game into overtime. Watkins and Taylor combined for all of Houston’s overtime points as they outscored East 13-6 and won the Region championship, 63-56.
Watkins was a beast for her team scoring 38 points. Paige Taylor provided 7 of her 12 points in overtime. Pratcher led East with 24 points with Candis Clear scoring 11. Next up for these two teams, the sub-state.
Note: Sarah Watkins was named Region Mvp
Adrienne Pratcher has been selected as 1 of 12 United States players to play in a national event this summer.
Watkins was a beast for her team scoring 38 points. Paige Taylor provided 7 of her 12 points in overtime. Pratcher led East with 24 points with Candis Clear scoring 11. Next up for these two teams, the sub-state.
Note: Sarah Watkins was named Region Mvp
Adrienne Pratcher has been selected as 1 of 12 United States players to play in a national event this summer.