by Cover photo by Jennifer Pleban Photography
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The Comets saw a 19-point second half lead evaporate into a thrilling 50-41 overtime win. For a group of young Freshman’s and Sophomore Comets, this was exactly the game they needed to play. When it comes to playoff basketball, it doesn’t have to be pretty, just win baby!
Win and learn from it, not every win is going to be perfect, but what you learn from it and take foreword is all that matters. Even if you played 1 minute or all 36, it doesn’t matter. These are the games you learn from.
The Comets were led by the exciting Freshman Kayla Ferancy with 22 of her teams 50 points. Ferancy was nails tonight and kept the Comets composed when they needed it the most. She is a leader, and tonight showed why leaders come out and shine in the playoffs.
Ferancy didn’t do it by herself however and received plenty of support. Fellow Freshman phenom Kristen Kelley had 11 including 2 in the overtime. Peyton Roberts and Ava Darmos both had 6 each as well. Silvasy had 3 points, one of which being 1 of only 4 in the fourth quarter that saw the Comets struggle from the floor.
The Bedford Bearcats played their most inspired ball of the season. They were paced by Aniyah Carey with 11. Denim Whited and Lyric Wells had 6 each while Indy Lymon came on strong in the fourth for 7 total points on the night. Brooks had 4, all of which coming in a wild fourth quarter comeback.
The Comets jumped out to an 8-3 lead thanks in part to great penetration and play around the rim. They took high percentage shots underneath, and it led to a sizable advantage early with 4 from Darmos and 4 from Ferancy during that stretch. Kristen Kelley would then sink 4 straight foul shots to increase the lead to 12-3 with 2:03 to play in the first. The Comets would increase the lead to 14-3 before the quarter was over with 2 more from Ferancy.
A slow start to the second quarter would see the Comet lead crawl to 16-3 as the Comets struggled from the field to start the quarter. The Bearcats would get their first field goal in over 10 minutes of game time when a great outside in move gave Aniyah Carey a perfect look at the hoop to cut it to 16-5. The Comets would then run it out to 24-7 from there. The 17-point lead, being their largest of the game.
The Comets would hold a 26-10 lead at the half as they had 5 players score in the quarter. They did a good job spreading the ball around, and attacking the rim. It should be noted they scored 26 points in the half and didn’t make a single three pointer. They attacked the rim and it worked.
A three ball by Ferancy to open the second half gave the Comets a 29-10 lead, and it appeared to be over. That is when everything changed and things got wild. An Aniyah Carey three ball gave the Bedford Bearcats the spark they so desperately needed.
Later on in the quarter, the Bearcats trailed 37-19, a 18 point deficit but they refused to give up. This time it was Wells with the dagger to cut it to 37-22 and keep the Bearcats breathing. They had a flicker of hope. Another Aniyah Carey three right before the buzzer would cut the lead to 37-25 after three. The Bearcats sunk 4 three’s in the quarter with 2 each by Wells and Carey. Suddenly, we had a game.
The fourth quarter became a nightmare for Amherst as they didn’t get a single field goal. All four of their points came from the line. The Bearcats remained hot and sent the game into overtime by outscoring the Comets at a crazy clip of 16-4 in the frame.
Still down 37-25 with 7:13 to go, the Bearcats began to make their move, it started with a Brooks layup to make it 37-27. Then at the 5:33 mark it was a “and one” from Indy Lymon to cut it to 37-30. Making it a single digit game for the first time since the opening quarter. A few moments later a Lymon steal and break away would make it 37-32 with 4:56.
It was 38-32 Amherst with exactly 4 minutes to go on the clock, in what had become a darn good playoff game. Brooks would score out of the timeout, and it was 38-34. After a Bradyn Silvacy foul shot made it 39-34, Bedford answered with a Zion Fussell runner to make it 39-36. Another Ferancy foul shot made it 40-36 with 1:38 to go.
A Brooks layup would then cut it to 40-38 with 1:09 left. After a Roberts foul shot gave the Comets a 41-38 lead with 28.9 seconds to go, it was high drama time. An Aniyah Carey bank shotted three pointer from the top of the three-point line would send the game into overtime.
The miraculous Bearcat comeback would fall short in the overtime however, as they couldn’t buy a shot. Kayla Ferancy finished perhaps the game of her young life with 5 of her teams 9 overtime points. Ferancy and Roberts combined to hit 5 foul shots in the extra frame as the Comets hung on for the 50-41 win.
