Monticello’s girls basketball team trailed Fluvanna County by three with under a minute to play. That’s when sophomore Josie Mallory decided to take over.
“She doesn’t quit, her motor is just always running,” said Monticello coach Erica Terrell. “She’s always looking to the next play, regardless of what happens.”
She’s a big reason the Mustangs managed to erase that slight Fluvanna edge and pull off a 41-38 victory over the Flucos, Monticello’s second Jefferson District win of the season.
With just under a minute to play, Mallory swiped a steal in the backcourt and quickly converted it into a lay-up.
Then after a missed Fluvanna free throw, Mallory found a wide open Rachel Mathews under the basket. Mathews finished off the go-ahead lay-up.
“That was crazy, I was wideopen so I was really nervous I was going to miss it but it was a great look by Josie and my teammates trusted me to finish it,” Mathews said.
According to Terrell, Mathews hitting that shot on her senior night was appropriate for a player that hasn’t posted huge numbers but has been a cornerstone-type player for the Mustangs.
“That’s kind of been her role for us, just being the anchor and being where she’s supposed to be, getting everyone else aligned,” Terrell said. “It’s certainly fitting that she got that shot because she was right where she needed to be.”
Then the Monticello defense held up on two late Fluvanna chances before Mallory grabbed a rebound off the second shot. Mallory then hit both free throws with three seconds left to increase the Monticello lead to three. Fluvanna’s desperation buzzer heave missed right, giving the Mustangs a huge win on senior night.
Several in the Mustangs’ current crop of seniors — Ciana Graham-Shelton, Kirstena Lilley, Mathews and Mariah Brown — have been part of a rebuilding transition since Terrell took over as head coach before last season. The Mustangs were 1-10 in the Jefferson coming into the clash with the Flucos and wins have been difficult to come by.
“I’m ecstatic, I’m so happy for them,” Terrell said. “I’ve known them since freshman year and to see them from then to now, it’s a special, special thing.”
To get that win the Mustangs had to battle past Fluvanna’s stifling defense, and hanging in against the Flucos’ physical, stingy unit is a challenge unto itself.
“At one of timeouts, at about six minutes left in the fourth quarter, that’s all we talked about — the mental toughness of fighting through whatever was going on,” Terrell said. “That’s what they did, they didn’t pay it any mind, they just kept playing.”
Mallory finished with 12 points while Mathews and Brown each had seven points. Lilley notched six points for the Mustangs.
Their collective efforts erased Fluvanna’s own solid performance. The Flucos appeared set to pull away (they led by as much as nine in the fourth) before the Mallory-fueled run behind 20 points from Neveah Ivory and six points each from Jemika Johnson and Jules Shepherd. Down the stretch though, a young Fluvanna roster couldn’t hold things together as Monticello surged.
“We’re working on it, we’ve just got to make better decisions at the end of games,” said Fluvanna coach Chad White. “Just plays that aren’t high basketball I.Q. plays, but we’re getting better.”
Shepherd and Niya Brown each dished out three assists.
The Mustangs will look to build on its win against Orange County Tuesday while the Flucos will look to get back on track against district-leading Charlottesville at home the same night.
Monticello’s Rachel Mathews on the Mustangs’ senior night win over Fluvanna in First Off the Floor presented by Physical Therapy at ACAC. pic.twitter.com/WFQZswtzyD
— scrimmageplay (@scrimmageplay) January 28, 2017
