Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in the first Conference Carolinas match-up of 2024 to the North Greenville Crusaders on Wednesday evening in a 67-51 final score.
The Warriors shot 34% from the field and were 61.5% from the free throw line in the loss to the rival Crusaders. Lexi Greffen led the team with 12 points. Behind Greffen, three Warriors posted nine points in Tristen Berry, Alexis Glover and Taylin Smith. Shelby Glance had three of the six assists.
Southern Wesleyan totaled 27 rebounds with both Shelby Glance and Lexi Greffen picking up eight boards. Glance and Asia Pearly each had blocks. Taylin Smith had two steals.
Game Vitals
Final: North Greenville 67, Southern Wesleyan 51
Records: Southern Wesleyan (3-10 / CC 1-3) North Greenville (9-3 / CC 3-2)
How It Happened
The Warriors attacked first off a layup by Dynasty Shegog. However, a three pointer by Abi Oates and a jump shot by Tabitha Littlefield allowed the Crusaders to take the lead. Tristen Berry laid the ball up from in the paint to keep the Warriors within four. A layup by Dynasty Shegog gave the Warriors the lead once again, and then free throws by Taylin Smith extended the Warriors' lead to three points at the end of the first quarter.
North Greenville countered early in the second quarter as Austin Johnson passed the ball beyond the arc to Greyson Boone who put up a three pointer to allow the Crusaders to tie the game. The tie was short lived as Alexis Glover laid the ball up into the basket for the Warriors. Taylin Smith stepped beyond the arc and collected a pass from Shelby Glance before sinking a three pointer. Southern Wesleyan pushed on with back-to-back baskets by Tristen Berry and Lexi Greffen to give them a 24-19 point lead with five minutes left in the quarter. Greffen took the ball to the net again to extend the Warriors lead to ten. Smith sent the ball out to Jordan Race beyond the arc. Race jumped up and sunk her lone three pointer of the evening. The Warriors led 35-27 going into the locker room.
Southern Wesleyan maintained the pressure in the start of the third quarter on a jump shot by Lexi Greffen. Kaliah Kendrick sent the ball beyond the arc to Greffen for her first three pointer of the evening. North Greenville began to chip away at Southern Wesleyan's lead as Geassy Germano laid the ball up into the basket with just over six minutes left on the clock. A second layup by Germano and a three pointer by Geryson Boone cut the Warriors lead down to four. The Crusaders pushed on as Tabitha Littlefield made a mid-range jump shot to tie the game up.
A jump shot early in the final quarter by Amaijah Smith gave the Crusaders a six point advantage. They continued to shut the Warriors down for the first two and a half minutes of the fourth quarter before Lexi Greffen laid the ball up into the basket. However, baskets by Geassy Germano and Tabitha Littlefield allowed the Crusaders to push on to a twelve point lead. Despite a late jump shot by Taylin Smith, the Warriors fell to the Crusaders in a 67-51 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will travel to Banner Elk, NC on January 6 to take on the Lees-McRae Bobcats. They will then journey to Spartanburg, SC on January 10 as they take on the Converse Valkyries. The Warriors will return home on January 13 as they host the Erskine Flying Fleet at 2 pm.
