MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- The sound of the basketball gliding through the net was drowned out by the unified cheers exploding from parents, students and other boosters rising to their feet at the Quantico Middle/High School on Jan. 8, 2014.
The 3-point score was the climax of a 61- 50 game whose fourth quarter proved to be the antithesis of the first.
“We all had one mindset that we wanted to hustle and play with heart,” said Marquis, senior. “I think that was the highlight.”
The Quantico Lady Warriors had a slow start against the Holy Family Academy Vendeens, from Manassas. The Warriors struggled to keep up with their opponent, even finding themselves trailing the Vendeens by 10 points.
“We always have good games with them,” said Steve Clune, the Vendeen girls varsity coach. “Quantico is one of the better teams we play.”
The final three quarters developed into an all-out slugfest as both teams matched point-for-point, and the lead changed hands several times.
“Our shots were our weaknesses,” said Shyanne, a Quantico freshman.
Although almost trailing the Vendeens by double digits in the fourth quarter, the girls caught their second wind and closed the gap to three points. With only seconds left on the clock, all eyes were fixed on the Warriors as they regained the ball and raced the clock toward a potential score.
Marquis sank a 3-pointer that tied the game and caused the room, earlier complacent and quiet, to erupt with excitement. Quantico’s defense dominated the Vendeens’ final drive denying their foes the chance to answer their comeback, sending the game into overtime.
“I was thinking, ‘I hope I make it’[when I shot the three-pointer],” said Marquis. “I feel like we actually worked together.”
Quantico looked like a completely different team during the four-minute overtime, scoring 15 points while their defense allowed their opponent only four. The Lady Warriors won the duel, 61-50 winning their seventh game of the season.
“I think we played good defense and had teamwork,” said Shyanne. “The game was really fun.”
Correspondent: samuel.l.ellis@usmc.mil