Lions begin with a win for Flynn

By TOM UTESCHER

Receiving almost half of its total offense in a 14-point outburst by eighth grade guard Amanda Walker after the intermission, Springside School edged Philmont Christian Academy, 29-28, last Tuesday afternoon to claim its first basketball victory since the 2002-2003 season.

Walker's spree included a gamewinning three-pointer with half-a-minute remaining in the encounter, and her freshman sister, Krystin, scored all of her seven points during the second half as the Lions rallied to win for Steve Flynn in his debut as Springside head coach.

Philmont forward Rebecca Faith came on to net eight of her team-high ten points after halftime, and guards Amy Dodridge and Sheena Wright each chalked up half-a-dozen points for the Falcons.

The speedy Wright led the hosts to a 9-4 advantage at the half, as Springside struggled to find the hoop. Maeve Koch started the visitors off with a pair of free throws, and Nan Weisel netted the Lions' lone field goal.

With 5:57 to go in the third period Amanda Walker got rolling with a jumper from near the foul line, and Kim Ashby stuck one from the left baseline. Springside did a better job of containing Philmont's Wright in the second half, but Dodridge picked up the slack, nailing three field goals in the third quarter to keep the Falcons ahead.

A baseline "J" and a three-point bucket by Krystin Walker helped get the Lions within two of the leaders, but with one second left in the third round Philmont's Emily Hesse put in the rebound of her own shot to make it 17-13 heading into the final quarter.

In the first two minutes of the fourth frame the Falcons' lead soared into double digits, 23-13, as Faith hit lay-ups on consecutive inbounds plays and then popped in a little jumper from the lane. Springside reclaimed those six points as Amanda Walker scored on a short bank shot and on a lay-up off of a steal, and her sister deposited a pair of free throws.

After Wright notched the front end of a one-and-one, the younger Walker drained a 15-footer and then banked in a three-pointer from the left wing, tying the bout at 24-all with 2:14 to go. Springside's Weisel and Philmont's Faith exchanged baskets, then the Lions fouled Hesse on a fast break attempt, and she knocked down both free throws to give the Falcons their last lead, 28-26, with 46 seconds remaining in the game.

The visitors came back down the floor, and from the top of the key Walker netted her second three-point goal of the quarter, tacking the final score on the board with 33 seconds showing. The Falcons' last chance to reclaim the lead came on an inbounds play from the sideline at the offensive end with one second on the clock. They got off a shot, but the attempt was short and the ball bounced back off of the rim as the buzzer sounded.