INDIANAPOLIS
In a topsy-turvy game, Southport sped out to a large lead, lost it, but managed to get it back and hold on for a 53-49 girls basketball win over Franklin Tuesday night.
It took two free throws with three seconds left from senior guard Ashley Raisor to seal it for the Cardinals and give them their first win of the year after an 0-3 start.
Inconsistency and low percentage shots spelled doom for Franklin (0-2).
“Give credit to (Southport),” Grizzly Cubs coach Josh Sabol said. “We would make shots and then we couldn’t get a stop and then we would make a shot. If we could put some of those together tonight … that’s the next step for us.
“We can’t trade baskets.”
Southport jumped out to a 17-4 lead and had all but forgotten about their last game against sixth-ranked Hamilton Southeastern, where the Royals blew out the Cardinals by 77 points. This game could have been a wipeout for the Cubs, but Franklin showed remarkable poise in coming back.
After forcing up several prayers, the Cubs started showing more patience, selecting their shots while letting the Cardinals force theirs.
The result was an 11-5 run in the second quarter that had the Cubs trailing the Cardinals by only three, 22-19.
Southport started the third quarter out like the first, stringing together some points — something the Cubs couldn’t do, second quarter aside.
The Grizzly Cubs looked to have some momentum in the fourth after taking a brief 47-46 lead, but it was all Southport after that, as the Cardinals built up a nine-point lead with 3:23 to play.
Franklin cut it to three with 55 seconds left but couldn’t get that crucial basket.
Freshman Kuryn Brunson led the Cubs with 18 points, while junior Hailee Robbins added 14.
“We’re still very young, but we’re improving,” Sabol said. “It’s no excuse (for losing). We have to play better.”
Up next for Franklin is a tough test at 3A second-ranked Greensburg on Friday night.
