By Jimmy Thomas
DigitalSports.com
(Look below the story for complete video highlights.)
It certainly wasn’t easy, but T.C. Williams put on a showcase in the fourth quarter of its game at fourth-ranked Lee Thursday night to illustrate just why it has firm hold on the area’s No. 1 ranking.
The Lancers held a double-digit the lead for most of the game on the strength of a high-powered offense that ran through senior forward J’Quita Babineaux, but the Titans and senior standout Teirra Ruffin-Pratt turned the tables in a hurry. T.C. Williams outscored Lee by 20 points in the fourth quarter en route to an impressive, 67-55 victory to keep its undefeated record in tact.
Lee, which was paced by Babineaux’s team-high 18 points and junior forward Kristine Mial’s 16, looked poised to pull of the upset when the fourth quarter began. But the Titans had other ideas.
T. C. Williams exploded in the final period, scoring 11 straight points. And with 6 minutes, 14 seconds remaining, Ruffin-Pratt scored four of her game-high 30 points on back-to-back baskets to give the Titans their first lead, 51-50.
“She is a great player,” T.C. Williams Coach Jim Lewis said. “I am not saying that because I am her coach. With passing, rebounding and blocked shots … she does everything well.”
The Lancers answered to regain a one-point lead, but moments later Babineaux was whistled for her fifth and final foul, and was forced the watch the game’s final 4 minutes, 21 seconds from the bench.
Without Babineaux to contend with inside, the Titans closed the game on a 16-3 run to hand Lee only its second loss of the season. The Lancers’ first defeat came at the hands of these same Titans earlier this season by just five points.
“Lee played really well,” Lewis said. “They played with a lot of intensity and made some big shots.”
T. C. Williams senior guard Brittany Burts contributed 17 points in the Titan win, while freshman guard Sadie Barber and junior guard Khalia Boston each added six.
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