Story by Niagara College Sports Communications Student James Goldenberg
November 12 2022...WELLAND - The Niagara College women's basketball team fought valiantly but could not survive Fanshawe's fourth-quarter comeback dropping a heartbreaker, 48-47, in front of an enthusiastic home crowd Saturday afternoon at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre.
The (2-3) Knights led most of the game, but their 29 turnovers and poor shooting proved too much to overcome in the end.
Following the loss Knights' coach, Christopher Rao stressed the need for a more complete performance. "We were a better basketball team than we showed. We gave the physical effort, but we need to clean things up and execute better," Rao said.
Fanshawe's full-court press made for a fast-paced up-and-down-the-court game. The Knights struggled early with the hectic tempo but managed to keep the game close with their strong defence and solid free throw shooting, converting on six out of seven attempts. Niagara trailed 14-11 after one-quarter of play.
The Knights adjusted in the second quarter neutralizing Fanshawe's attack. Molly Taylor proved a tough matchup for Falcon defenders. The second-year guard was a dual threat, hitting from outside and displaying some sleek moves around the basket. She led all scorers with seven first-half points guiding the Knights to a 24-23-point lead going into the locker room.
Taylor finished the game with 13 points and 12 rebounds. She attributed her strong performance to the fierce competition. "When the pressure goes up, I play better, "the Niagara Falls native said. Despite the disappointment, Taylor was confident that the team would bounce back "We're definitely frustrated. We know we have to play better down the stretch," she added.
The second half started much the same way as the first, as both teams laboured to find a rhythm offensively. The Knights clamped down on Fanshawe, limiting the visitors to seven third-quarter points. Forward Janee Harrison's driving layup with 2:16 left in the quarter extended Niagara's lead to 35-30. Neither team scored after, and the Knights took the five-point lead into the final period.
Fanshawe would not fold easily. With just under two minutes remaining, Falcons guard Sydney Kendellen hit a 3-point field goal to tie the game at 45-45. The game went down to the wire with Niagara's Jamira Rousseau hitting a free throw to put Knights up one 47-46 with only 55 seconds left on the clock, but Fanshawe's Allison Cotton hit a layup in the waning seconds to secure the win for the visitors 48-47.
The Knights will try to break their three-game losing streak on November 16, when they travel to Conestoga to take on the Condors.
