For the final 10 minutes, 46 seconds against Monticello, Watson Chapel did not convert a field goal.
But Monticello was held to 17 points through three quarters, and Watson Chapel used the free-throw line to pull away for a 37-28 victory at home Friday night.
The Wildcats (9-7, 2-1 in 5A-Southeast Conference) went 10 for 15 from the stripe in the fourth quarter and held the Billies (9-6, 1-2) to one field goal within an 18-minute stretch until Torry Butler converted a three-point play with 2:12 left to pull Monticello within 33-21.
“That’s what we work on,” Watson Chapel coach Matt Busch said of the defense. “About 75 percent of our practices are demanding on our kids as far as our defense. We did a phenomenal job of help defense. I’m proud of my kids. They played hard defensively.”
The Billies were ahead 6-3, but two alley-oop finishes by T.J. Handley sparked a run that gave the Wildcats a 21-13 halftime lead. Point guard JoviOne Bailey led all scorers with 15 points, hitting six of Watson Chapel’s fourth-quarter free throws. Handley, a swingman, added nine points.
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The Wildcats keyed in on the Billies’ leading scorer, Butler, and held the junior three-guard to six points while Antario Lucas followed him up with six.
“We did a good job on the ball screens,” Busch said. “When he came off the ball screens, we did a good job of defending him. … We know when we go down there, he’s going to bring something different.”
Watson Chapel’s zone defense threw off Monticello offensively, causing a number of turnovers during the field-goal drought. Monticello went 8 for 26 from the field, and Watson Chapel was 11 for 30.
“We’ve been mired in a shooting slump the past three or four games,” Monticello coach Wayne Sherrer said. “I’m not taking anything away from (the Wildcats); they did a good job. We’ve been doing that; it’s not just against Chapel. We’ve been kind of out of sync the last several ballgames. We’ve just got to get ourselves corrected.”
GIRLS
Monticello 72, Watson Chapel 49
Four Lady Billies scored in double figures, leading the way in a dominating victory over the defending 5A state champion Lady Wildcats (8-8, 2-1 in 5A-Southeast).
Watson Chapel was within 23-17 in the second quarter before Chelsey Rhodes scored six straight Monticello points, helping the Lady Billies (14-2, 3-0 in 5A-Southeast) build a 33-21 lead at halftime.
“We came here tonight wanting to step up our defense,” Monticello coach Lucy Williams said. “I think we adjusted well. We spread that 2-1-2 zone out, and we got going.”
Erin Campbell and Rhodes each scored 17 points for Monticello. Deanne Martin added 14, Marquia Goffin 12 and Shanekqua Bolden nine.
“(Campbell) came on about four or five games ago because she wasn’t starting,” Williams said of her 6-foot-1 junior center. “I think during the holiday season tournament, that’s when we started her. Her conditioning has gotten better, she’s tough around that basket, and she’s playing a lot better.”
Watson Chapel pulled within 35-26 after Chelsea Payne completed a three-point play early in the third quarter, but that would be the last time the Lady Wildcats trailed by a single digit. Rhodes drove to the basket to put Monticello up 54-33 with 6:53 left in the game, and the Lady Billies led by as many as 24 points.
Payne scored 10 points and Jaz’myne Moore had eight for the Lady Wildcats.