The 2019 CresCom Bank Holiday Invitational opened on Tuesday with four games. Advancing to the quarterfinals were Miami Senior (FL), Ryle (KY), #21 Lake Highland Prep (FL) and Parkersburg (WV).
GAME #1: Miami Senior (6-1) scored the first 13 points of the game before having to hold off Clovis West (CA) 57-51. After building the 13-0 advantage, the Stingarees held on to a slim 26-23 lead at the half.
Trailing 35-27 with 10:52 to play in the second half, Clovis West (9-1) use a 13-3 run to take a 40-38 lead with 7:10 to play. Nikki Tom connected on a 3-point basket to knot the game at 38-38 with 8:09 to play before Jada Oatman’s two free throws with 7:10 on the clock gave the Golden Eagles their first lead of the game.
The teams traded baskets over the next five minutes and the game was tied at 51-51 with 2:41 to play. Miami Senior scored the final six points of the game to secure the victory.
University of Central Florida commit Colleen Bucknor led Miami Senior with 16 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocked shots. Clovis West was paced by Nikki Tom’s 18 points and three steals.
Game #1 Box Score
GAME #2: Ryle (KY) led from the opening tip and built leads as large as 27 points in cruising to a 56-31 opening round victory over Eagles Landing (GA). Brie Crittendon led Ryle with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Oregon signee Maddie Scherr added nine points, 11 rebounds, and six assists for the Raiders. Jaleah Storr led Eagles Landing with seven points.
Game #2 Box Score
GAME #3: Lake Highland Prep (FL), ranked #21 by USA Today, built a 16-point lead in the opening half before having to hold on for a 56-51 victory over St. Francis (GA).
The Highlanders (8-1) built a 16-point lead midway through the first half at 25-9 on Eleecia Carter’s 3-point basket with 7:13 on the clock. St. Francis (5-3) refused to go away and outscored Lake Highland Prep 20-7 the rest of the way to close the gap to 34-29 by halftime.
Kayla Blackshear’s two free throws with 12:18 to play again opened a double-digit lead for Lake Highland at 41-30. The Knights again used a suffocating defense to fight their way back into the game, going on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 41-41 with 7:59 to play. Five players scored during this stretch for St. Francis.
After trading baskets, St. Francis took its only lead of the game at 49-47 with 2:48 to play on a layup by Amirah Abdur-Rahim. Lake Highland Prep scored the next six points to open a 53-49 advantage with just 44 seconds to play. Abdur-Rahim’s two free throws closed the gap to two points but free throws by Sierra Godbolt and Kayla Blacksher in the closing seconds sealed the victory for the Highlanders.
Blackshear and Stefanie Ingram led a balanced attack for Lake Highland Prep with 14 points each. Nyla Harris added 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Highlanders. Savannah Samuels led St. Francis with 18 points and five rebounds.
Game #3 Box Score
GAME #4: Parkersburg (WV) closed play on the opening day with a 62-45 victory over Keenan (SC). The Big Reds (3-1) never trailed in the game and built leads as large as 21 points.
Briana Wilson led all scorers with 17 points for Parkersburg while Maggie Richards added 16 points. Aleea Crites posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Tamara Davis came off of the bench to lead Keenan (2-3) in scoring with 11 points. Freshman Milaysia Fulwiley posted 10 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, six steals and four blocks.
Game #4 Box Score
