COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The term, “moving day” is typically reserved for Saturday at a PGA tournament. With 240 teams all jockeying for top two pool finishes and playoff qualification on Sunday at the U.S. Junior Nationals, this particular Saturday is its own little moving day in the Maryland/Washington, D.C. area.
The fireworks in the loaded Platinum bracket got underway bright and early at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center with the Georgia Metros 16s taking a defensive battle over the Spiece Lady Gym Rats 17s, 41-35, in Pool E.
The win for the Nike-funded Metros moves them to 3-0 for the tournament with two pool play games left before the single-elimination playoffs begin Sunday evening.
“That’s an organization I’ve watched play for years. They’re well-coached and even before this tournament began, I had a feeling this would turn out to be an important game,” Metros head coach Matthew Huddleston said. “We set a goal to win our pool and for me, this win was a huge moment winning against a team of that caliber and doing it with an 8 a.m. start.”
The score would indicate a defensive struggle and that’s exactly what it was. Both teams opted to sit back in a zone the majority of the time as neither team could buy a jumper to bust up the other’s zone.
Holli Wilkins, a 5-foot-10 senior guard, was able to hit some shots early when the Metros came out a bit flat as a team. She was aided by a strong effort from 5-foot-11 junior guard Allisha Gray, who did a good job late in the game of forcing the Spiece defense to make commitments and get off-balance.
The Metros are back in action later Saturday at 1:15 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Rockers 17s and finish pool play on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. against East Bay Xplosion at the Capital Sports Complex.
