Calvary, Wilson upset Broadfording, 43-39
Feb. 6—CRESAPTOWN — While Calvary isn't running through the Mason-Dixon Christian Conference with ease like it has in recent years, the Eagles proved Friday that nobody is safe on their court.
Not even the MDCC's best.
Calvary threw everything it had at Broadfording and Fanta Minteh — Washington County's leading scorer — and the Eagles used team defense and clutch foul shooting down the stretch to spring the 43-39 upset.
"How do you lose to last place team and beat the first place team in your conference? I'll tell you: Effort, urgency and desire to win," Calvary head coach Shawn Ricker said. "They watched film and went with the game plan, and that's what it is going to take to make some noise in the MDCC tournament."
The last time the two teams played, Minteh was a problem. The sophomore used a huge second half to score 26 points and guide Broadfording to a 51-32 win in Hagerstown.
That's been the formula throughout the season for Broadfording, and it's been a successful one, as the first-place Lions entered the game with a 9-1 conference record compared to Calvary's 3-7 mark.
On Friday evening, Calvary sought to make anyone but Minteh beat it, placing two defenders on the talented scorer. A frustrated Minteh eventually fouled out with 4:56 to go in the fourth quarter; however, the Eagles still had work to do facing a 37-35 deficit.
The Eagles had struggled mightily at the charity stripe through its first 15 games of the season: Not Friday night.
Emmy Wilson made 6 of 8 free throws in the decider, including four straight that allowed the Eagles to level the score at 39 apiece. Bethany Carrington gave Calvary the lead for good with a 1 for 2 trip to the line with 1:38 remaining.
Down 41-39 in the waning seconds, Broadfording drew up a corner 3-pointer to try and steal the win on the road with its best player fouled out, but the shot was off the mark and Wilson pulled down her 16th and final rebound.
Wilson iced the game with a 2 for 2 effort on the free-throw line on the other end, and the Eagles sprung the upset. Wilson equalled Carrington with a game-high 16 points.
Ava Strawderman sunk three midrange jumpers for six points, and Sydney Weeks was 4 for 4 from the line.
"Emmy Wilson had one of her best games of the year," said Ricker. "Madie (Robinette), Lydia (Westrom) and Sydney shut down Broadfording's best player. ... Bethany led the team well."
Minteh finished with just 12 points, well below her season average — she scored 32 in an overtime loss to Bishop Walsh earlier this season. On Friday, Minteh's only offense came in transition.
Tiki Koontz scored a Broadfording-best 13 points, sinking three 3-pointers. The guard was the only Lion to make Calvary pay on the outside for choosing to double-team Minteh, as the Eagles were left with just three players to guard Broadfording's remaining four.
Abby Drier gave Broadfording a boost down low with eight points.
Calvary (7-9) will look to keep the momentum going when it hosts New Life on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Alex Rychwalski is a sports reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @arychwal.
