NOVA's Brianna Crowell shoots against some stiff defense by an SVCC player. Photo by: Arch Scurlock

The Northern Virginia Community College women’s basketball team defeated its VCCS rival, Southside Virginia Community College, at Annandale’s Ernst Gym on Jan. 29 to win its second game in a row, 76-66 in overtime.

This close game saw Southside take a slim 30-29 halftime lead. Kimberley Walton paced NOVA in the first half with 11 points, while Lauren Amonett added nine.

Late in the second half, NOVA held a 60-57 lead before a frantic finish in regulation. With just less than a minute to go, Southside made two of three free throws to close within 60-59. With 46 seconds to go, NOVA’s Paris Cantrell made one of two free throws to increase the lead to 61-59. Southside scored to even it all at 61. At 34 seconds, NOVA’s Walton grabbed a missed Southside shot, but with 8.8 seconds to go, missed the front end of a one and one free throw opportunity.

Southside rebounded, called time out, but could not score, so it was overtime.

After the tight and frantic second half ending, it appeared that Southside was spent in the overtime, as NOVA went out to a 67-61 lead on scores by four players within the first two minutes of overtime. A three-point goal moved Southside within three at 67-64 at 2:52, but then NOVA put the game out of reach by scoring nine straight points to the 0:34.5 mark. NOVA won by 10 points, 76-66. In the overtime, five NOVA players scored, with Walton leading with five and Jean Goodell adding four.

After the game, Coach Wayne Vincent exulted, “They [SVCC] came to play. They came to play. Both teams played their hearts out. Both teams shot well. Fortunately for us, we shot very well over the last several minutes. The girls did a fantastic job, fantastic. I’m very proud of them.”

With the win, NOVA went to 2-2 in the VCCS, 5-12 overall.

The following Wednesday, on Feb. 2, NOVA traveled up the interstates to Frederick Community College for a late afternoon game but was pummeled 99-32 as Frederick increased its record to 20-2. A following Monday night game at Annandale was called off by Howard Community College.

On the evening of Feb. 9, at Annandale, NOVA again faced the strong Montgomery College-Rockville Lady Knights squad which they had lost to in November. The result was worse as they lost 97-35 as Montgomery increased its record to 19-5.

Finally, NOVA traveled to Southside Virginia for a return match on Feb. 12.

NOVA had a much easier time than in their home overtime win, scoring 70 points to SVCC’s 49 points and sweeping the season series. With the win, NOVA improved to 3-2 in the VCCS, 6-14 overall.

NOVA closes out the regular season with four home games, three of them against VCCS foes, before going to the season-ending VCCS tournament the first weekend in March.

By: Arch Scurlock

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