ACC women unable to get shots to fall late in loss
With a National Junior College Athletic Association District Qualifier spot already secure, the Alpena Community College women’s basketball team was still playing Monday for a chance to earn a better seed in next week’s tournament.
Unfortunately for the Lumberjacks, they were unable to get shots to fall late and were edged in their home finale, losing to Mott by a final score of 59-55 at Park Arena.
“We had some good looks late and took some good shots, but unfortunately some of the three-point shots we took late just wouldn’t go in,” ACC coach Bobby Allen said. “Our last two games we did a good job shooting from outside so the last few days we worked on layups and making the easier shots which is something we had struggled with. Today it was opposite, we made the layups and easy shots, but couldn’t get the long range shots to fall.”
Alpena opened the game, making its first three baskets and grabbing an early seven point lead. The lead didn’t last long as Ty’Asia Robinson and the Bears responded with a 9-0 run of their own to grab the lead. Robinson scored seven of the first nine points for Mott and finished with a game high 24 points as the Lumberjacks struggled to slow her down.
Robinson dominated throughout the early stages of the game and helped the Bears go on a 13-2 run to end the first quarter as she had 13 points in the opening quarter to help Mott take a 22-14 lead.
Both teams played much better defense in the second quarter and matched each other basket for basket as the Bears would not allow Alpena to get in any kind of rhythm and they took a 33-24 lead into the half.
Mott came out of the break and scored the first five points, but the Lumberjacks were determined to give it everything they had as they went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to five midway through the third quarter.
The two teams exchanged buckets late in the quarter and every time Alpena looked as if it was going to cut into the lead even further, the Bears refused to let it get any closer as they took a seven point lead into the fourth quarter.
It was much of the same early in the fourth as the two teams continued to battle and exchange baskets. The Lumberjacks were able to cut the lead to three with 3:40 left on back to back two point shots from Kendra Cole and Anne Archambeau to force Mott to call a timeout.
The Bears responded out of the timeout as Ashley Rowley knocked down a three to put Mott ahead by six and it looked like the Bears were on the verge of icing the game after Robinson stole the ball, but missed a wide open layup and the Lumberjacks quickly moved the ball down the floor and set up Brooke Ellis for a three-point shot to cut the lead to 54-51 with 2:24 remaining.
After picking up the defensive pressure, Alpena had chances late, but failed to connect on several three-pointers in the final minutes as the Bears were able to hold on and spoil the Lumberjacks home finale.
Robinson led all scorers in the win for Mott. Charnetta Price added 13 points as they were the only two to score double digits for the Bears.
Alpena was led by Cole who scored 20 points in her final game at Park Arena. Ellis added 10 points and Archambeau chipped in with eight points in the losing effort.
The Lumberjacks fall to 6-12 on the year and 5-8 in conference play. ACC will be back in action on Wednesday when it wraps up the regular season on the road at Schoolcraft.
——
MOTT (59): T. Robinson, 8 7-11 24; J. Haylee, 3 0-0 6; R. Ashley, 2 1-4 6; K. Griggs, 1 0-0 2; M. Griggs, 3 0-0 6; M. Nanasy, 1 0-0 2; C. Price, 5 3-8 13.
ALPENA (55): R. Barkley, 0 3-4 3; M. Allen, 1 0-2 3; A. Smith, 1 2-4 4; K. Hunt, 2 0-0 5; A. Archambeau, 4 0-0 8; K. Huffman, 0 2-2 2; B. Ellis, 4 0-0 10; K. Cole, 7 4-7 20.
Jonny Zawacki can be reached via email at jzawacki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5690.