3-pointer spoils Lady Bears' final game
By Allen Smith Staff Writer

Angelica Collins has been waiting for some of her younger players to step up this year. Several finally did in what wound up being the final game of the season. Burke County's Lady Bears lost a 44-42 heartbreaker to Washington County in the opening game of the Region 3- AAA basketball tournament held at Cross Creek Monday.

In the game, Jessica Davis had one of her worst games. The senior shooter for the Lady Bears has put up big numbers in most games, but against the Lady Hawks, she managed only 9. She scored 4 in the second and 5 in the third. She was scoreless in the first period and missed a pair of free throws in the final period.

"She didn't have the best game tonight," Collins said. "This was the worst game she's played this year. When your leading scorer and best player on your team doesn't perform up to par - and I'm not saying she didn't try. I'm saying she just didn't have a good night, and that happens in basketball. I have to commend the other girls. Everybody stuck with it and played tremendously well."

While she still commanded the floor with her ball-handling skills, Davis got only a few shots to fall. Fortunately, Yasma Lynch and Ceera Rollins stepped up to help out in the scoring. Lynch led the game with 18 points and Rollins had 11.

The game was close from the tip. Burke County nearly the entire game. Their biggest lead was 5 and they only trailed momentarily when they did not have the lead. Washington County led by no more than 3. The Lady Hawks got their first lead in the third period, but it lasted until the Lady Bears got back down the floor.

At the end of the game, the Lady Bears held a 42-41 lead into the final seconds. Washington County hit a 3-pointer with 7.3 seconds on the clock to take the lead 44-42.

"Things just didn't fall for us right there at the end," Collins said.

Collins will lose six seniors, including Davis, so it was important for the younger players to finally step up.

"That's one of the things I stressed in the locker room. 'You need to be proud of your effort. You don't need to not have con- fidence in yourselves, because you proved it tonight'," Collins said.

The Lady Bears won five straight coming in to Monday's region tournament.

Boys Tournament Schedule

Burke County's boys are the top team in Region 3S-AAA and will play Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. They will face either South Effingham or Butler. A win puts the Bears in the state playoffs. They would play again on Friday and Saturday.