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Blount Steal Saves Game: Columbus Escapes Westover Upset Bid in First Round

Posted on: Sunday, 19 February 2006, 06:00 CST

By Troy Johnson, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.

Feb. 19--Columbus High School junior forward Yasha Blount saw movement out of the corner of her eye and reflex took over.

Being the solid all-around student that she is, Blount probably knows Newton's Third Law of Motion.

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

Action: A Westover guard attempts a crosscourt pass with her team needing a basket to go ahead in the final minute of regulation.

Reaction: Blount lurches into the passing lane, intercepts the ball and makes a layup at the other end of the court to protect the Lady Blue Devils' lead.

Because Blount took a chance, the Lady Blue Devils will be taking another trip to Albany for the second round of the Class AAA state playoffs.

In addition to her game-saving steal, Blount scored 16 points to help Columbus fend off Westover 46-38 Saturday night.

"It was just reaction," Blount said of her steal and layup, which came with just less than 45 seconds left in regulation. "I just anticipated."

Blount and her teammates couldn't have anticipated needing last-minute defensive stops to put away the Lady Patriots (18-9). Not after unleashing a fullcourt pressure defense that caused Westover to wilt in the first half.

Columbus (21-8) forced 14 turnovers in the first half on the way to a 27-14 lead. In the third period, however, the Blue Devils struggled to keep up their intensity as Blount and forward Aisha Maddox found themselves sitting for extended periods because of foul trouble.

"We seemed to let up defensively a little bit," Columbus coach Melissa Smart said. "I think we were worried about being in foul trouble. We had a slow third period."

They were stuck in neutral, actually. Westover limited Columbus to just three points in the period.

"No matter what, you have to keep playing hard and strong," Blount said. "We got in foul trouble and we kind of let the game get behind us, but we picked it up."

Columbus' intensity spiked dramatically after Westover guard Kendra Bailey gave her team a 31-30 lead, its first since the opening basket, on a 4-foot pull-up jumper with 5:59 remaining.

The teams traded the lead six times over the next four minutes, but Maddox put the Blue Devils ahead 39-38 when she followed her own missed shot with a putback at the 1:55 mark. Blount's steal and layup added to a game-ending 9-0 run.

Maddox finished with 13 points and helped Columbus finish with a 34-20 rebounding margin.

Smart said the foul-plagued third quarter left her team out of its comfort zone for most of the second half. Instead of dictating the tempo, the Blue Devils were forced to play at a slower, less desirable pace.

"That's what we live and die by, pressure and converting off of steals," Smart said. "We're not a great halfcourt offensive team, so we try to get it off of our defense."

When it mattered most, however, Blount reminded everyone that Columbus can be a pretty effective halfcourt defensive team.

Contact Troy Johnson at (706) 320-4432 or johnsont@ledger-enquirer.com [mailto:johnsont@ledger-enquirer.com] Westover 86159--38 Columbus 1116316--46 Westover (38) Kendra Berry 19, Domonique Bryant 10, Gilber 5, Mallard 4 Columbus (46) Yasha Blount16, Aisha Maddox 13, Long 7, Figgins 6, Ruff 4 Team records: Westover 18-9. Columbus 21-8. Next: Westover Season over. Columbus Fri., 4 p.m., vs. Cross Creek-Southwest Macon winner, Albany Civic Center.

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Source: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

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