Box Score Tigerville, SC – In one of the biggest wins of the season for the Crusaders Angel McGowan’s team connected all the dots to defeat the Tornado of King University 79 – 71. The Crusaders never gave the Tornado the lead jumping out to a four-point lead. North Greenville hit the majority of their open shots and only tuned the ball over 13 times collectively making the night one of their most efficient of the season. Fundamental play carried the Crusaders who scored 22 points off of Tornado turnovers, 36 points off the bench, and held the Tornado to 30% from the three-point line.
A win was just the way that the Crusaders wanted to celebrate Senior Night as the team honored two seniors: Kyli Schmitt and Elizabeth Trentham. Schmitt has been a consistent leader and player for the Crusaders throughout her four years with the team. Although she does not post outlandish stats her hustle and effort on the court cannot be quantified. She has been the heart and soul of the team for the last four years and was the embodiment of endurance after coming back from an ACL reconstruction her freshman year.
Trentham on the other hand, has started the majority of the games during her time at North Greenville. She has averaged just over five points each of her seasons at North Greenville, while being top three on the team in total rebounds each of those years. Trentham has been a defensive force for the Crusaders as the rim protector posting 112 blocks during her career. Currently, she has 33 blocks on the season which is her career season high. The Tennessee native has incredible instinct and has used that instinct to better the players around her during her career at North Greenville.
The game itself was an entertaining game for all Crusader fans to be a part of. North Greenville jumped out to a four to nothing lead off of a Journey Muhammed (Freshman) three-pointer and Ayano Shelton (Junior) free throw. Karen Donehew (Junior), the Crusaders leading scorer, got off to a hot start as her, Muhammed, and Shelton combined to score the first 17 points for NGU. The game then became a game of cat and mouse and the Crusaders would jump out to a 10-point lead and have the Tornado claw back to within three only to start the cycle once again. At the end of the first quarter the Crusader led by five stunning the visiting Tornado.
Bree Stoddard (Sophomore), Journey Muhammed, and Karen Donehew all had exceptional games once again. Since her return to the court Stoddard has looked like her old self shooting the ball with precision and driving off of hard closeouts. Muhammed continues to be a freshmen sensation for the Crusaders as she shot 50% from behind the arc for the Crusaders. Donehew is in the middle of an All-Conference season for the Crusaders as she follows up her 2nd Team Selection from last season.
Defeating the Tornado was a team effort as three Crusaders scored in double digits and three Crusaders scored within one point of the double-digit mark. Savannah Hughes (Sophomore), Donehew, and Muhammed were the three double digit scorers for the Crusaders, while Shelton, Kira Bell (Sophomore), and Ty Saunders (Sophomore) were the three nine-point scorers. As the game came to a close the Tornado pulled within one at the 6:07 mark but the Crusaders pulled away once again as they had all game. Entering the last minute of play, the crowd in Hayes was on their feet as the Crusaders held a 10-point lead. The Tornado fought tooth-and-nail to come back in the final seconds, but the Crusaders were prepared and shot 100% from the free-throw line at the end of the game.
Individually, Karen Donehew scored 23 points, collected 8 rebounds, and rejected one shot. Journey Muhammed finished the game with 11 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Savannah Hughes scored 11 points off the bench.
The Crusaders play their last home game of the season this Wednesday, February 20th as they host Limestone College. That game is set to tip-off at 5:30 pm.
