Monticello’s girls basketball team’s bus ride to Albemarle Friday night was essentially silent.
“The ride over was the quietest bus I’ve ever been on,” said Monticello coach Erica Terrell. “They just stayed focus.”
That short, silent vigil across Charlottesville showed just how locked in the Mustangs were, and Monticello delivered, beat the Patriots 46-39.
“We really wanted this one,” said Monticello senior Kirstena Lilley. “They’re our crosstown rivals and we knew it was going to be a close one and we were going to have to fight it out.”
Monticello hasn’t wedged its way into the win column a ton over the last couple of years as the program rebuilt. But in the last couple of weeks, the group that’s helped transition the Mustangs has suddenly exploded, edging Fluvanna County and, on Friday night, pulling away from Albemarle and spoiling the Patriots’ chances at a share of the regular season Jefferson District title.
“It’s such a big confidence boost,” Terrell said. “It’s huge for them, this is just another building block we can use to get the program going.”
The Mustangs built a 19-13 halftime lead, but Albemarle kept fighting back and closed the gap to two by the end of the third quarter with Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper’s 14 points leading the Patriots’ offense. Anne Ridenhour chipped in 12 including three 3-pointers.
But each time Albemarle closed in, Monticello answered.
“It’s really nice to see our team come together, this was really a team effort where everyone contributed,” Lilley said. “We were just trying to tell each other to keep our heads in it.”
A balanced offensive effort and key points from eight different players got the Mustangs over the top as no Monticello player reached double figures. Ciana Graham Shelton had eight points, all in the fourth quarter. Dasha Kinlaw led MHS with nine points on the night. Lilley had six points all in the first half as Monticello built its early lead and also had four rebounds and three assists. Mariah Brown chipped in four rebounds and six points while Hannah Shifflett had five including an early 3-pointer and also pulled down seven rebounds and snagged three steals.
Albemarle will play in the Jefferson District tournament next week while Monticello will turn its attention to the Conference 29 tournament.
