Halfway through the first quarter of her team’s playoff game versus Flint Hill with the game tied at six, Panthers Coach Krystal Ferguson called time out.
“I told ’em, can y’all wake up? They’re not just going to lay down and let us beat them,” Ferguson told us when asked what she said. “It’s the playoffs, everybody wants to win and no one wants it to be their last game. We’ve got to bring it every game.”
Her team indeed then woke up, as Potomac School embarked on a 20-2 run to take control of the ISL Quarterfinal battle. The third-seeded Panthers went on to get the victory, 58-41, and now advances to the tourney semis, where they’ll face second-seeded Sidwell Friends (DC) Friday at 5:00 pm.
In the victory against Flint Hill the Panthers flashed their ability to compete against the heavyweights of the ISL and beyond in the state tournament. They showed the ability to share the ball, as eight Panthers players registered assists. Juniors Sabrina Anderson and Mia Morrill led the way, registering 14 points apiece.
“The biggest thing is we have to trust each other, play our game, not worry about who we’re playing but play together,” Ferguson said. “I think if we trust each other, pressure the ball defensively, and play at the pace we want to play and pressure the ball defensively we’re really good.”
The Panthers never relinquished the lead after the initial time out, expanding it to 37-19 by intermission. Still, Flint Hill never entirely went away, closing to within 10 points of the Panthers in the second half at one point. The primary reason for that was 6’4″ Huskies senior center Lynette Doku, who finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds.
Even with the savvy Morrill and freshman center Makayla Coleman defending Doku, she did a lot of damage. The Panthers got it back on the offensive end with some of their younger weapons supplementing Anderson, Morrill, and senior guard Ava Sewall. Coleman finished with five points and nine rebounds off the bench. Fellow freshmen Lola Burrell (10 points) and Nyla Curry (eight points, six assists) were big as well.
Flint Hill’s season is not necessarily over with the loss. The Huskies (8-17) will now wait and see if they are selected for the VISAA Division I state tournament. In the last VISAA poll Flint Hill was ranked 12th, which would be the final spot in the tournament if the ranking holds.
Meanwhile Potomac School (20-8), who will definitely be in the VISAA Tournament, will try and upend Sidwell Friday night. The teams split their regular season contests, with Potomac School winning the most recent matchup 71-56 behind Anderson’s 33 points.
–Chris Jollay