Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in a overtime heart breaker to the Emmanuel Lions on Wednesday evening in an 80-77 final score.
The Warriors shot 43.3% from the field with three posting double digits in the loss to the Lions. Makayla Raines led the team with 26 points. Right behind her, Peyton Looky totaled 22 points and Kyra Price had 13 points. Of the six assists in the game, Emily Gamon had two.
Southern Wesleyan pulled down 36 rebounds. Esther Cole led the team with seven. Cole was followed by Makayla Raines with five, and both Peyton Looky and Faith Yelton with four. Kyra Price had the lone block of the afternoon. The Warriors stole the ball away from the Lions eight times with Cole having three. Looky followed with two steals.
Game Vitals
Final: Emmanuel 80, Southern Wesleyan 77
Records: Southern Wesleyan (3-11 / CC 2-5) Emmanuel (10-4 / CC 5-3)
How It Happened
The Lions went on the offensive early as Kate Jackson put up back-to-back layups. A jump shot by Makayla Raines put the Warriors on the board. Raines pressed on as she put up another mid-range shot. With just under five minutes on the clock, Faith Yelton put the ball up into the basket to tie the game up at six. However, a final second three pointer by Julie Azeltine allowed Emmanuel to regain their five point lead.
Emmanuel continued their attacks in the second quarter as Naomi Roberts tipped the ball into the basket off a rebound. Several more baskets out of the hands of Roberts allowed the Lions to extend their lead to nine. With just over six minutes left in the first half, Peyton Looky took the ball around the defense and laid it up. The Warriors were not done as they continued to chip away at Emmanuel's lead. Looky got the ball down the court to Kyra Price who knocked down her first three pointer of the game. In the final second of the half, Looky laid the ball up into the basket to tie the game up at thirty going into the locker room.
Emily Gamon stole the ball away from the Lions early in the third quarter. Gamon sent the ball out to Makayla Raines who put up a three pointer to allow the Warriors to take their first lead of the game. It was short lived as Natalee Goff hit a three pointer of her own. However, the Warriors would not back down as a mid-range by Raines and then another three pointer by Kyra Price allowed them to take a 38-36 point lead. Once again Emmanuel took the lead, but the Warriors battled on with a three pointer by Peyton Looky.
The Lions regained their ten-point lead in the fourth quarter as Lizzie Teasley stole the ball away and quickly laid it up into the basket. Makayla Raines went to the rim for a layup, and then Peyton Looky followed with a three pointer to put the Warriors back within seven. Raines wove around the defense and laid the ball up once again. The Warriors tied the game up again as Esther Cole collected a rebound and quickly put it right back up into the basket. Raines knocked down another three pointer, but the Lions answered with a three pointer by Naomi Roberts. In the final minute of the game, Emily Gamon laid the ball up into the basket to force the game to go into overtime.
The Warriors continued their pressure in overtime as Makayla Raines hit a mid-range jump shot. Peyton Looky laid the ball up into the basket, but layups by Naomi Roberts and Kate Jackson put the Lions back on top by one. Southern Wesleyan and Emmanuel exchanged the lead a couple times, but the Lions ended up on top in an 80-77 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on January 10 as they host the King Tornado at 2pm. They will then travel to Augusta, GA on January 12 to take on Paine College before traveling up to Ferrum, VA on January 17 to take on the Ferrum Panthers. Southern Wesleyan will return home on January 21 to host the Shorter Hawks.
