Blazer comeback grounds Rockets

FEB. 10, NELSON H. KOBREN MEMORIAL GYMNASIUM-

Tonight the Blazers looked to avenge their 54-44 loss to Richard Montgomery (RM) on Jan. 16, which started their five-game losing streak. Blair was able to retaliate by coming back from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat the Rockets by a score of 47-36 tonight, improving the team to 5-12 for the season and ending their five-game skid.

The game started out slowly for the Blazers as they missed countless lay-ups and short jumpers, but still played good enough defense to obtain a 10-9 lead early in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the Blazers soon fell apart and the Rockets then went on a tear, giving RM a 27-15 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. Sophomore standout Cate Rassman was even held scoreless up until then.

Fortunately, Blair never admitted defeat or backed down, as it then turned up the intensity and thus the speed of the game. The team scored 15 points in those final three minutes of the third quarter, the same amount as it scored in the previous 21 minutes. Blair took a 30-29 lead to finish the quarter on a three-point play by senior Emily Ramsay. Everything went the Blazers' way in this run, which was extended to 19-2 in the fourth, thanks to tremendous defensive play.

They went on to outscore RM by ten points in the fourth quarter, further solidifying this epic comeback. The score swung an amazing 23 points in the Blazers' favor in the final 11 minutes of the game through scrappy play, which kept RM's scorers in check. A crippling press and intense pressure in the second half kept the rockets from generating any kind of momentum.

Ramsay and Junior Brittney Higgins led the Blazer charge, as Ramsay netted 14 points and three blocks, while Higgins had 14 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Rassman turned around her game towards the end and finished with eight points, five steals and six rebounds.

Higgins attributed the comeback to the team's quality all-around play. "We played tough defense, got our offense going and had no turnovers or mistakes," she said.

The Blazers played smarter basketball than they had done in the past, leading to only 10 turnovers, much less than they have had in previous games. But shooting remains a problem for the team at the Blazers went a measly 18.9% from the field and 30.7% from the line. But Blair more than made up for this with its grit and determination.

Blair next plays at home against Gaithersburg on Feb. 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Click here to stream the Blair Sports Network's highlights from this game.