BASKETBALL

Colts fall to Pirates in regional quarterfinals

John Patton

Special to the Star-Banner

North Marion's Jermaya Jackson blocks a shot by Crystal River's Alysa Jenkins. The North Marion Colts lost to the Crystal River Pirates, 62-56, in the 4A regional quarterfinals Thursday night.

CITRA -- The North Marion girls basketball team knew that in order to beat visiting Crystal River in Thursday night’s FHSAA Class 4A-Region 2 quarterfinals, the Colts needed to defend the 3-point shot as best they could.

And in the first and fourth quarters, they allowed nothing from deep. But the Pirates sank a combined nine 3s in the second and third quarters to lift them to a 62-56 victory.

“We knew they could shoot it,” NMHS coach Stephanie Brown said. “We watched them on film and No. 30 (CRHS leading scorer Haley Herman) was a really good shooter.

“We were going to go to a 3-2 (zone defense) to stop them, but they made their shots.”

North Marion's Erianna Williams tries to pass the ball while being pressured by Crystal River's Angelina Jenkins and Jordan Martynowski.

Led by Herman, a Warner University signee who drilled 5-of-6 from behind the arc in the second quarter, Crystal River (18-3) overcame an 11-7 deficit after one and forced NMHS (18-5) to frantically swim upstream late, as the Pirates led by as many as 16 points in the fourth.

To its credit, North Marion ended the game on a 16-6 run, as sophomore guard D’nhia Johnson scored 10 of her 21 points (tying Herman for game-high honors), grabbed five of her seven rebounds and collected three of her four steals in the final eight minutes.

Crystal River's Haley Herman knocks the ball loose from North Marion's Dy'Ani Hadley.

“They pressed us well,” said CRHS senior guard Alysa Jenkins, who finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. “They were very aggressive, too, and we could have been more aggressive.”

For her part, Brown said the Colts just ran out of time against the Pirates, who will visit The Villages (20-6) in Tuesday’s regional semifinal.

Crystal River's Alysa Jenkins and North Marion's Erianna Williams battle for control of a loose ball.

“We waited too long to really play,” Brown said. “We didn’t step it up until it was too late.”

Now, after back-to-back 18-5 District 5-4A championship seasons, the Colts will look to grow in the offseason while attempting to replace departing seniors Erianna Williams (14 points, six assists, three steals against the Pirates), Jermaya Jackson (five rebounds, one steal) and Keyshaunda Ashford (three points, three rebounds).

North Marion's D'nhia Johnson shoots for two over Crystal River's Ijy'ana Edwards.

Brown will return a strong core, led by Johnson and fellow sophomores Dy’ani Hadley (eight points, game-best 15 rebounds) and Brook McConnell (seven points, five rebounds, three steals).

“We gave it a good try, and I’m proud of them,” Brown said. “We’re going to miss our seniors, but, hopefully, we’ll work hard in the offseason to get better.”