Parma girls win at charity stripe
New Plymouth runs into foul trouble
By Matthew Neal
Argus Observer
Sunday, December 16, 2007 2:42 AM PST
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| Parma Lady Panther Breanna Stell fires from beyond the arc during Parma's 38-37 last second win over New Plymouth on Friday night. The game was decided by a free-throw from Mariah Blaylock. Parma, now 9-1, plays Nyssa next Tuesday. |
Parma - In a moment best described as being thick with tension, the fate of Friday night’s game hung in mid-air, as a shot from the free throw line left the hands of Parma’s Mariah Blaylock and hit nothing but net.Blaylock’s shot gave Parma the lead by one point with two seconds left in the fourth quarter as Parma hung on to beat New Plymouth 38-37.
Parma had 17 total fouls on the night compared to the Pilgrims’ 20. Ultimately, the game was decided by fouling more than anything else. New Plymouth lost both Edmunson sisters late in the fourth period when they fouled out and it proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“It was huge for us to get their girls in foul trouble,” she said. New Plymouth’s aggressive play was their undoing and when they sent Blaylock to the line, Parma not only got back in the game, they won it.
Of course, the game could have gone the other way. Jensen called a time out with moments left in the game and told her team to play smart and not foul. Most important, she told them, do not send them to the line.
“They (New Plymouth) are a smart team and they have senior leadership and outstanding shooters but when it’s that close of a ball game you don’t want to send them to the foul line, and that was huge for us,” she said.
Parma went 14-of-24 from the foul line whereas New Plymouth made 7-of-9. Pilgrim Sienna Edmunson sat out for nearly a quarter and a half because she was close to fouling out early and it helped change the momentum for Parma.
“I was proud of my kids and I thought they played well but we had foul trouble and that hurt us,” New Plymouth basketball coach Denise Oliver said. “We play aggressive and so we might get into foul trouble again.”
New Plymouth’s record fell to 7-4 overall and Parma’s win moves them up to 9-1 overall.
Parma takes another stand at home next Tuesday against Nyssa at 7:45 P.M.
