Poly wrapped up a perfect regular season with a bit of an imperfect game Friday night.
The No. 4 Engineers made just three baskets and scored a total of seven points in the first half. But their defense kept them close, and they rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to beat No. 3 Digital Harbor, 39-34, in a Baltimore City Division I game.
Poly finishes the regular season 19-0 record, 13-0 in city competition. The Engineers have earned a spot in the Division I title game, but the date and opponent aren't yet known.
The first half was a complete nightmare for the host Engineers. They scored only one point in the first quarter and made just 3 of 28 from the field while Digital Harbor (16-7, 11-2) took an 18-7 lead into the break. Poly missed its first 14 shots and didn't get a basket until Teira Pendleton's layup 1:26 seconds into the second quarter.
The Engineers also missed nine of 10 free throws in that first half — and made just five of 22 overall — but they kept the Rams close with a tough defense that forced 27 turnovers.
Eighteen of those turnovers came in the first half, which stopped Digital Harbor from turning the game into a rout.
"You can always play defense," Poly coach Kendall Peace-Able said. "We might not have scored, but we played great defense."
The Engineers kept up that defensive intensity throughout the game and held Digital Harbor star A'Lexus Harrison to just six points. Harrison did grab 18 rebounds, but the Rams couldn't find a good rhythm on offense.
"The defense won the game," Poly guard Blair Harding said. "We knew we had to close out and contain them and stop them from driving."
Digital Harbor coach Patrick McDonald said his team knew the start of the second half would be crucial, and Poly's offense awakened. Harding (nine points), Jasmine Smith (five) and Chaun Crockett (five) each hit early three-pointers to spark the Engineers.
Harding then made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Engineers a 26-23 lead after three. Jillian Lee came up big in the fourth quarter, making a layup and put-back in the final minute to give Poly a 37-32 lead. Lee scored six of her game-high 12 points in the final quarter.
"[The game] was played in ebbs and flows, especially in the second half," McDonald said. "It was just one of those games where you hate to see somebody lose. We're not going to hang our heads."
No. 4 Poly 39, No. 3 Digial Harbor 34
D- Lewis 5, Alexander 2, Harrison 6, Parks 6, Carroll 2, Gaither-McDonald 7, I. Alston 5. Totals: 12 8-14 34.
P-Lee 12, Harding 9, Pendleton 4, J. Smith 5, Crockett 5, K. Alston 4. Totals: 15 5-22. Half, DH, 18-7.