Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and to hear comments from Coach James Fassett. Also click the AUDIO button to hear Jaiden Hall's player spotlight interview.
PORT HURON, Mich.---The Bay College women's basketball team lost their second game at the Thumbcoast Tip-Off Classic on Friday in Port Huron. The Norse fell to the State University of New York-Niagara Thunderwolves, 72-53, at the SC4 Fieldhouse.
The Norse had an early lead, fell behind by 16 points, and battled back to within four points in a third quarter comeback. But Niagara, ranked 21st in the country, quickly regained the double-digit lead and cruised from there down the stretch.
“We definitely stayed in it and we definitely made a push,” Norse Coach James Fassett said. “We just couldn't get over the hump and get enough stops. It was two teams, both playing zone (defenses), so we got opportunities and they got opportunities.”
Bay trailed, 17-12, after the first quarter, but tied the game in the second quarter behind three-point shooting from Alivia Lebrun, who made three triples in the first half. But Niagara got a big second quarter from Azriel Hall and led at the half, 32-25.
Bay closed to within 49-45 in the third quarter when Sahara Garcia came off the bench and scored three straight baskets. The Thunderwolves replied with a big 10-1 run to go ahead, 59-46, and the Norse never got closer from there.
Hall led the way for Niagara (5-1) with a sizzling 38 points. She played all 40 minutes of the game, and hoisted 27 shots (making 15, including four triples). Hall also had 14 rebounds for a double-double.
“She's a really good player,” Fassett said. “She's hard to stop. She was kind of the engine that made them go. She's very good at beating you off the dribble, getting into the lane, and then she draws fouls. She's very shifty inside, goes up kind of awkwardly sometimes, and you get stuck with the foul. She was a tough guard for us today.”
Bay College (0-4) got 17 points from Lebrun, who threw up 28 shots, with 22 of those being three-point attempts. She made five of those triples.
“It felt good but I definitely could have made more shots if I really put my legs into it,” Lebrun said. “I was getting tired. But, after all, it felt good and we had injuries, so I knew that I'm a shooter, so I had to keep shooting and help the team out by scoring some points.”
“We've got players that can play,” Fassett said. “We've got players that are good at doing things, but we've just got to keep reiterating for them to be confident, not worry about the score, and win possession by possession. I think if we do that, things will turn for us.”
Marquette's Hayley Taylor had a strong game with a double-double of 12 points and ten rebounds. Chloe Robinson added eleven rebounds, and Jaiden Hall led the way with 12 rebounds. The Norse and Thunderwolves both had 57 rebounds.
The Norse had a rough afternoon with injuries, as four players went to the medical tent at one time or another. Olivia Kelly Taylor got elbowed in the eye and it swelled shut. Jaiden Hall and Kennedy Robinson both went in with leg injuries, and Gladstone's Addy Blowers was in pain with a sprained ankle with 40 seconds left in the game.
Blowers was on crutches after the game.
“We had a stretch there where we had four girls going into that medical tent,” Fassett said. “It was something else. Then when we had one foul out, I'm like 'which one of you that's hurt the least is going in'. It was an interesting game down the stretch, but I think tomorrow we'll be all right.”
Bay College wraps up tournament play Saturday morning against the host St. Clair County Community College in the seventh place game. That game starts at 11:00 am and it will be broadcast live across the Upper Peninsula on Maverick 106.3 FM.
