Monroe – After three quarters of tightly-knit basketball, Robbinsville’s varsity girls were unable to suppress Union Academy’s main weapon any longer.
Only trailing 40-36 at the dawn of the fourth, senior guard Ranon Suttle scored 11 of the Lady Cardinals’ 22 points in the final segment. The 5-foot-10-inch threat finished with 29 overall on the night and in turn, the visitors were only able to hit nine in the quarter to fall in the first round of the playoffs, 62-45.
“We competed well,” said Lady Knights head coach Lucas Ford. “They’re a very good basketball team. I was very pleased with our effort and competitiveness.”
Robbinsville (No. 21 seed, 11-13) was faced with respective 11-9 and 23-21 deficits to overcome in each of the first two quarters at Union Academy (No. 12, 22-2), with senior forward Liz Carpenter ending her time as a Lady Knight on a high note to aid the cause: 21 points in her swan song.
Also scoring was Zaelyn Phillips 8; Claire Barlow and Abby Wehr, 4 each; Bentley Riggins and Anna Williams, 3 apiece; and Katie-Lyn Gross 2.
“Our record is not an indication of who we are and the growth that was had by this group from last year to this one,” Ford said. “We gave ourselves a chance this year. This is a great group of young ladies and the future is very exciting for girls basketball.”