The Triton College women's basketball teams production of just six points in the first quarter against Lake Land College came back to haunt them when a fourth-quarter comeback fell just short in a 66-63 loss on Nov. 8 at the Collins Center. Triton hosted its Dan Hull Memorial Classic, in honor of the late women's coach who took the Trojans to their only pair of national tournaments.
Triton fell behind by as many as 15 points in the second quarter. The hosts also trailed by 10 to start the fourth before storming back to take a 59-58 lead on a
Bethany Baldwin layup with just more than one minute to go.
However, the comeback stalled with Lake Land's Carsyn Fearday nailing a three-pointer for a 63-59 lead as the clock ticked down.
"We came out a little nervous in our first home game of the season," said Trojans coach
Marques Hatch. "We didn't match the intensity of the other team. We allowed our nervous jitters to bother us. I gave Lake Land credit – they came out and jumped on us pretty good early.
"Once we were able to settle down and get back to playing our type of basketball, it became a more competitive game."
Several Trojans tried to spark their teammates.
Guard
Jaelah Crosby, of Evansville, Ind., led the Trojans with 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting. With a seven-point surge, including a three-pointer, in the fourth, Crosby was able to get Triton squarely back into the game, cutting into the 10-point deficit.
"We got back into the game by being aggressive, getting back on defense," said Crosby. "You just have to keep going (after the cold start). You just have to keep going and move on to the next play."
Backup guard
Jasmine Igartua, an East Leyden product, amassed a trio of three-pointers, including a buzzer-beater to end the first half, cutting Lake Land's lead to 33-27. Igartua totaled 11 points.
"This game, a lot of things were intense," Igartua said. "I thought in my mind had to be more aggressive, shoot the ball more."
Igartua and fellow guard
Pamela Colmenares, a West Leyden alum, played much of the fourth quarter with four fouls apiece. A Colmenares basket cut the deficit to one at 56-55. But Hatch rode their sparkplug potential over the imminent threat of fouling out.
Forward Baldwin, out of Watersmeet, Mich., led the Trojans with 11 rebounds. Center
Dajha Cooper, an Elgin alum, had 11 points.
"We did do some good things," said Hatch. "Playing against a quality opponent like Lake Land, it's a measuring stick. It shows us where we're at, the things we're capable of and the things we can look forward to. We just have to be a lot better coming out to start the game."
The next day the Trojans struggled from the field, shooting just 24 percent as a team in a 51-46 loss to Concordia University-Chicago's junior varsity squad.
Baldwin led Triton with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Davion Watt had 10 points and eight rebounds.
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