In a game defined by momentum swings and clutch performances, Benedictine Mesa held off La Sierra for a 72-67 victory after a hard-fought battle that went down to the wire.
First Quarter:Â
La Sierra opened strong, jumping out to a 4-0 lead behindÂ
Amaya Sanchez andÂ
Breonna Martinez. Benedictine Mesa responded withÂ
Naomi Elliott andÂ
Alannah Northam leading the charge, briefly taking the lead at 6-5. The teams traded baskets throughout the frame, with Martinez hitting a late three-pointer and sinking two free throws in the final second to give La Sierra anÂ
18-16 edge after one.
Second Quarter:Â
La Sierra extended its lead early in the second quarter thanks to Sanchez andÂ
Crystal Smith, but Benedictine Mesa clawed back.Â
Valerie Van Dijk provided a spark off the bench, scoring inside and grabbing key rebounds. Elliott's three-pointer at 1:47 gave the Redhawks their first lead since the opening minutes. Despite a late layup fromÂ
Angeline Valdivia, Benedictine Mesa closed the half aheadÂ
35-33.
Third Quarter:Â
The Golden Eagles tied the game immediately after halftime with a Martinez layup, but turnovers proved costly. Arvallo's three-pointer and Van Dijk's dominance in the paint helped Benedictine Mesa build a cushion. La Sierra fought back with a Sanchez three-pointer and Garrett's layup, but Elliott's clutch triple and Wilcox's late basket gave the Redhawks aÂ
52-47 lead heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter:Â
Benedictine Mesa opened the final frame with free throws from Northam and a layup by Van Dijk to push the lead to nine. La Sierra battled back behind Garrett's free throws and Martinez's three-pointer, trimming the deficit to five with under a minute left.Â
Sydney Wilson hit a deep three with four seconds remaining to make it 69-65, but Benedictine Mesa iced the game at the line, with Arvallo sinking two free throws in the final second for aÂ
72-67 victory.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks are back on the court on Saturday, January 10 as they take on Hope International on the road.Â
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