Central, SC – The Warriors picked up their fifth Conference Carolinas victory of the season as they defeated the King Tornado in an 83-63 final score on Monday evening.
The Warriors shot 46.3% from the field and were 85% from the charity stripe on Monday evening. Senior Lexi Greffen led the team with 20 points. Asia Pearly and Shelby Glance joined her in the double digits as they hit 18 points and 13 points respectively. Of the 18 assists, Kaliah Kendrick led the team with six.
Southern Wesleyan pulled down 37 total rebounds. Shelby Glance and Asia Pearly each had six boards, with Alexis Glover and Rahkhia Mack following with five. Glance led the team with three blocks. Glover had two blocks and the other Warrior block came off the hands of Pearly. The Warriors had 22 steals with Glover picking up four.
Game Vitals
Final: Southern Wesleyan 83, King 63
Records: Southern Wesleyan (7-11 / CC 5-4) King (1-17 / CC 0-8)
How It Happened
The Tornado touched down first in the match-up as Ashley Allen laid the ball up into the basket twenty seconds into the game. However, a layup by Shelby Glance allowed the Warriors to quickly tie the game up. King pushed on as Allen hit back-to-back baskets. However, Alexis Glover stole the ball and passed it down the court to Lexi Greffen who laid it up to keep the game tied up. The Tornado would not relent, but the Warriors pushed on to take an 11-10 point lead on a three pointer by Taylin Smith. A layup by Kiley Beach and a three pointer by Le'aije Ellington allowed the Tornado to regain the advantage.
Southern Wesleyan would not back down as Lexi Greffen stole the ball away from the Tornado in the second quarter and raced down the court to lay the ball up and put the Warriors back within one point of King. Jaylasia Office collected a pass from Brianna Dunbar and stepped beyond the arc to allow King to regain their two point lead. The Warriors did not back down, but instead stepped up their attacks. Shelby Glance stole the ball from Jhayda McKinny and passed the ball over to Greffen. Greffen stepped beyond the arc and sunk a three to tie the game up 31-31 with just under five minutes left in the quarter. Back-to-back layups by Greffen and Kaliah Kendrick extended the Warriors lead to six. The Warriors went on to lead 39-31 going into the locker room.
Lexi Greffen kicked off the scoring in the third quarter for the Warriors as a layup off a pass from Alexis Glover extended Southern Wesleyan's lead to ten. King countered seconds later on a layup by Ashley Allen. Kaliah Kendrick stole the ball off the Tornado and took it down the court for a layup. Seconds later, Shelby Glance passed the ball beyond the arc to Tristen Berry. Berry sunk a three to extend the Warriors lead to thirteen. The Tornado chipped away at the Warriors lead with baskets by Alexa Gramann and Brianna Dunbar, but with just over a minute on the clock Asia Pearly laid the ball up into the basket to cut off the Tornado's run.
Southern Wesleyan took a sixteen-point lead on a jump shot by Shelby Glance to start the final quarter of the game. The Warriors would not relent as baskets by Glance and Lexi Greffen allowed them to push on to a 63-45 point lead. Raven Addison hit back-to-back three pointers for the Tornado. However, Kaliah Kendrick stole the ball away from King once again and passed it under the net to Lexi Greffen for a layup. With just under five minutes left in the game, Alexa Gramann laid the ball up to put the Tornado back within twelve points. Jump shots by Taylin Smith and Asia Pearly allowed the Warriors to distance themselves even further from the Tornado. The Warriors went on to win the game in an 83-63 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on January 27 as they host the Belmont Abbey Crusaders. They will then take on the Bob Jones Bruins in non-conference action on January 30.
