For most of yesterday's game, No. 19 Dunbar stayed within striking distance of No. 3 Seton Keough, but in the end, the Gators' experience prevailed.
The Gators (7-1) outscored the Poets 19-3 in the final 6: 21 to take a 46-22 victory in the first round of the 8th Annual Poly Invitational Tournament. In today's second round, the Gators will meet No. 9 Milford Mill, a 47-25 winner over Notre Dame Prep.
For the Poets (4-1), youth certainly contributed to the loss to the defending Catholic League Tournament champs.
"Experience is always a big factor," said Poets coach Wardell Selby, who has six ninth- and 10th-graders on his 11-girl roster and only two seniors. "They have experienced players and they're able to play a tough schedule, but the only way you get to be the best is to play the best."
Yesterday, the Poets trailed 27-19 after Toni Kennedy fed Keisha Wills for a layup with 6: 50 left in the game, but an intentional foul stopped any momentum the Poets might have built. The Gators ended up with a seven-point play that sparked a 19-3 finale.
It started when Poets guard Varnell Baylor grabbed Gators forward Jackie Valderas around the waist from behind, trying to stop her from taking a short jump shot. Valderas nailed the shot and the two free throws awarded for the intentional foul.
The Gators also got the ball back under their basket, and Meaghan Allan hit a 20-footer from the corner off Nikki Brown's inbounds pass. That gave the Gators a 36-19 lead with 5: 44 left.
"That was a big boost," said Gators senior center Sarah Walsh. "It got everyone pumped up, and we turned it up a notch after that."
Along with Valderas, who scored 10 points, Walsh played an exceptional game contributing eight points, eight rebounds, five steals and two assists.
Other than from those two, Gators coach Jim Stromberg was not happy with the lack of intensity.
"Sarah particularly played really hard," said Stromberg. "She went strong for the ball and was diving on the floor for the ball. That's the kind of intensity we want from five people."
For the Poets, Baylor and Kennedy scored six each. Wills had four points and eight rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Poets remained optimistic about their up-and-coming program, which broke into The Sun's Top 20 last week for the first time.
"We're trying to build Dunbar a team, because Dunbar's not known for girls basketball," said 5-foot-10 junior center Wills. "We thought by winning this game we'd get recognition, but we're a young team. We'll grow. Hopefully, we'll play them again next year."
In the meantime, the Gators advance to meet Milford Mill (4-1) in tonight's 6 o'clock semifinal.
Despite looking a little rusty from going more than a week without a game, the Millers cruised past Notre Dame Prep behind 16 points from Quante Toney and 12 each from Chante Alexander and Danielle Carter.
Alexander, a 6-foot forward who has signed with James Madison, struggled with her shot early, but scored 10 in the second half. She also contributed six assists, four steals and two blocks as well as 17 rebounds, helping the three-time defending Baltimore County champs take a 49-33 edge on the boards.
The Millers' domination of the boards hurt the Pirates (6-3), who hit only eight of 40 shots and rarely got an offensive rebound.
The Pirates, who got 11 points from Cary Chasney, did not take advantage of the one opening the Millers gave them -- 26 chances from the free-throw line. They hit only nine.
In the second quarter, the Pirates were 1-for-10 from the line, which allowed Milford to break out to a 21-6 halftime lead even though the Millers scored just seven in the quarter. Toney scored three and assisted Carter for four more.
After the half, the Pirates pulled within 26-12, but they could get no closer. Alexander scored twice from inside to spark a 13-0 run to end the quarter. Toney had eight points, an assist and a steal in the run.
Pub Date: 12/29/98