By Jay Neal
sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com
MARSHALL — Jacksonville and its pressure defense collided with Marshall and its up-tempo, run-and-gun offense in a rematch from last year’s bi-district playoff game Tuesday night at Maverick gymnasium.
In the end, though, it boiled down to free throws being the determining factor, with the Lady Mavs (2-1) going 13-of-17 (76.4-percent) from the charity line to the Maidens’ 4-of-8 (50-percent).
As a result, Marshall outlasted Jacksonville, 42-41, in a very entertaining game played before a sparse crowd in Marshall.
Jacksonville had the upper hand for the first half — the Maidens led 20-17 at the break — mainly due to the offensive production down low from Amber Hawkins. Hawkins was the games’ leading scorer with 25 points — she also was the game’s top rebounder (12) — with 14 of her points coming in the first half. Hawkins shot 70.1-percent (12-of-17) from the field on the night.
The Lady Mavs chipped away at the Maiden lead during the third stanza, eventually gaining their first lead of the night with 1:30 to play in the period when Rokarie Ellie sank a deuce. Ellie went on to lead the Lady Mavs in scoring with 13 points to go along with her seven rebounds.
The third frame ended with Marshall owning a 29-28 advantage.
A 8-1 run, sparked by a pair of baskets from Hawkins, to open the fourth gave Jacksonville new life as the Maidens took command, 36-30, with 4:59 showing on the scoreboard.
Marshall rebooted itsoffense after missing the first four shots in the fourth frame, finally getting on the board in the final period at the 4:38 mark on a short-range shot by John Etta Rasberry that made the score 36-32 in favor of the Maidens.
The Lady Mavs forced a Maiden miscue on an inbound pass attempt with 1:49 left and Ellie drained a short-range shot off the window that gave Marshall the lead at 40-38.
Marshall turned in a strong defensive effort in the second half, forcing 10 Jacksonville mistakes over the final two quarters. For the game, Jacksonville committed 21 turnovers to the Lady Mavs’ 18.
The Maidens continued to play hard as Jacksonville tied things at 40 on a shot off the hand of Lydia Boyd that came with 1:18 to play.
Boyd finished the game with nine points and three boards.
With 39 seconds to go, Marshall’s Shakina Minnifield hit an 8-foot bank shot off the left side that put Marshall in the lead for good at 42-40.
Jacksonville had a chance to tie the game as Hawkins went to the line with 20 seconds to play to shoot a pair.
After the first shot bounced off the heel of the iron, Hawkins put the second through to cut the Marshall lead to one, 41-40.
The Maidens had one final chance at picking up the win, but a Boyd shot from the paint from close range with four ticks left was off the mark with Marshall’s Minnifield coming down with the rebound.
On a positive note, after struggling from the field in their first two outings, the Maidens’ offensive game was much improved Tuesday as Jacksonville outshot Marshall 41.8-percent (18-of-43) to 29.2-percent (14-of-48) from the field.
Jacksonville returns home for a 6 p.m. tipoff Friday against Lufkin Hudson before hosting Woden Monday evening.
Marshall 41 Jacksonville 40
1 2 3 4 Tot.
JHS 11 9 8 13 41
MHS 6 11 12 13 42
JHS — Amber Hawkins 25, Tanika Lucas-Clay 1, Ashley Baker 2, Sametria Baker 2, Lydia Boyd 9, Brittany King 2.
MHS — Rokarie Ellie 13, Shakina Minnifield 11, Veronica Mathis 2, Jinaki Robinson 6, Shanerika Crawford 2, Neka Harris 2, John Etta Rasberry 4, Coretta Robinson 2.
Three-point goals — J, Boyd; M, Ellie, J. Robinson.
Records — Jacksonville (1-2), Marshall (2-1)
Next game — Jacksonville vs. Lufkin Hudson, 6 p.m. Friday
