Photo: #23 Janae Johnson makes a steal and bucket for SGP
BY BRIAN GOSSET
MANSFIELD – South Grand Prairie went on a 21-9 run in the final quarter and a half to beat Mansfield Lake Ridge on its court during the second round of the Mansfield ISD Spring Creek BBQ Invitational on Monday.
Monday was the opening day of the tournament.
SGP advances to the quarterfinal round to take on Amarillo at 1:30 pm Tuesday at Lake Ridge. Amarillo beat Wylie East 66-36 before the SGP Lake Ridge game.
Lake Ridge, #12 in the Class 6A state rankings by the TABC, will face Wylie East at 12 pm Tuesday at LRHS. The Eagles can finish as high as seventh place.
The Eagles trailed for most of the second quarter and half of the third quarter, but 4-star guard Jazman Bailey assisted on a T’Landria Williams’ field goal to put Lake Ridge ahead 32-31. SGP didn’t trail for long as on the next possession Rylee Hudson found Janae Johnson in the post for a 33-32 lead.
The Warriors never trailed again.
Jalynn Staten got a steal and basket to get Lake Ridge within 35-34. The Eagles then got a block and rebound, but missed a 3-pointer and SGP went down and made its own three when Payton Garrett found Johnson in the corner to make it 38-34 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Johnson picked up another rebound and drove the length of the court that gave SGP a 43-36 lead and then Garrett converted a three-point play for a 46-38 advantage. The Warriors added three more field goals down the stretch for the double-digit win.
Garrett had a team-high 18 points along with four rebounds.
Johnson added 17 plus five boards and three assists. Hudson chipped in seven points, six rebounds and three dimes while Zanay Kearney finished with six points.
Lake Ridge sophomore Jada Weaver led all scorers with 20 points to go with two rebounds and three assists. Zori Bailey added 12. Bailey, one of the best 2027s in the country and helped lead the Eagles to a 59-46 win over Waxahachie in Round 1, was held in check scoring wise – with three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The Eagles led 11-8 after the opening period.
SGP scored 10 straight to go from trailing 12-8 to leading 18-12 following a basket by Jahme Atkinson. Field goals by Johnson (3x) pushed the lead to 24-20. The Warriors went to the free throw line with one second left in the half when Hudson got an offensive rebound and put back to send the Warriors into the intermission with a six-point lead.
