Rockets blast lady Blazers

JAN. 16, RICHARD MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL –

The Blair girls' basketball team lost 54-44 at the hands of the Richard Montgomery Rockets, committing 27 turnovers in the process. The loss snaps Blair's two-game win streak and drops them to 4-8.

The night started out on a sour note for the Blazers. The team bus was late to leave Blair, causing the team to arrive 45 minutes late for its scheduled 5:15 tip-off. According to Head Coach William Lindsay, the delay had a negative effect of his team's performance. "I have never been in a situation like that where something good comes out of it. It's always bad," said Lindsay.

In the beginning of the game, the Blazers showed few ill effects from their travel problems. Thanks in part to shooting by junior Brittany Higgins and senior Emily Ramsay, the Blazers ended the first quarter leading 12-10 over the Rockets. Higgins scored four of her 12 points in the first quarter, and Ramsay added seven of her team-high 14 points.

After the first quarter, however, the game started to go downhill for the girls' team. Richard Montgomery began the second quarter on a 10-0 run, and the Blazers had to play from behind. Despite the eight-point margin, Blair came back to tie the score at 30 going into the half. They were led by Jawana Henderson's seven second quarter points. This momentum swing was short-lived, however, as the Rockets came out of the half with yet another 10-0 run and held Blair scoreless in the third quarter until 3:18 was left to go.

Richard Montgomery only led 42-37 at the beginning of the fourth, but a potential Blair comeback was squashed by sloppy play. Nine of Blair's 27 turnovers were committed in the fourth quarter, allowing the Rockets to pull away for the victory.

Blair's next game will take place on Fri., Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m. on the road against a tough Damascus Hornets team. Damascus beat the Blazers in their first matchup, a 53-50 thriller at Blair.