Release Date:12/31/2005
News Title: Wesleyan girls fall in Deep South championship


By Corey Clark
Staff Writer
corey.clark@gwinnettdailypost.com

DULUTH — It was something head coach Jan Azar hadn’t seen happen in a long time. The Wesleyan Wolves got out-Wesleyaned Friday in the finals of the Deep South Classic at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.
Briarcrest Christian (Tenn.) forced more turnovers, deflected more passes and dove for more loose balls against the defending tournament champions, resulting in a 64-60 win for the Tennessee power.
“It was the first time we were outhustled,” Azar said. “We were very sloppy. We turned the ball over way too much. We had 15 turnovers ... we have kids that know how to play well, 15 turnovers is just too much.”
Many of those turnovers resulted in baskets on the other end for the Saints, who improved to 9-2 with the championship victory.
Ole Miss signee Alliesha Easley led all scorers with 25 points, including a crucial jumper and two clutch free throws in the final 90 seconds to thwart a furious Wesleyan rally.
Easley also finished with nine rebounds and five steals.
“It’s been two years since we’ve won a championship of any kind,” the senior guard said. “That’s why we’re so excited. It’s our first championship in two years.”
And the first trophy.
“Yeah, we finally got a gold ball of some sort,” Easley said with a laugh.
Behind Easley’s 15 first-half points, the Saints went into the locker room with a 35-31 lead. Briarcrest then came out in the third quarter and almost put the game away.
Caitlin House scored five of 11 points during the period and Catherine Jackson and Kristi Landers each scored four as the Saints built up a 14-point lead.
The Wolves hit just one field goal in the quarter until the final 10 seconds of the period, when Elise Whitney hit a short follow to close the gap to 51-39.
“We just didn’t move the ball very well,” Azar said. “Instead of passing the ball and moving around, they all waited for Carolyn (Whitney) to do something.”
Whitney wasn’t able to do much offensively. The star guard hit just 3 of 17 shots from the floor, including a stretch from the first quarter to the fourth where she missed 13 shots in a row.
But even with their point guard struggling from the field, the Wolves fought to get back in the game. Le Le LeSeur scored 11 of her team-high 16 in the fourth quarter as Wesleyan cut the lead to 57-54 with three minutes remaining.
The Wolves got multiple possessions to cut the lead to one or tie it with a 3-pointer, but could never get a shot to fall.
“Our legs were gone,” Azar said, “but so were theirs. It was the type of game of who wants it more?
“This is the Deep South Classic. They came to win it and we came excited because we beat South Gwinnett (Thursday night).”
Briarcrest then made enough free throws down the stretch to seal the championship.
“We knew coming into tonight’s game that they were probably the favorites,” Briarcrest head coach Lee Smith said. “But our kids played hard. They were determined.
“And I was surprised their pressure didn’t bother us as much as I thought it would.”
Said Easley: “We’re not scared of anyone. They had a little size on us, but we had the speed and quickness.”
LeSeur led the Wolves with 16 points and nine rebounds. Despite her troubles from the floor, Whitney finished with eight points, eight assists and six rebounds. Kelly Hall finished with 11 points for the Wolves, including a front-rim 3-pointer that bounced in with under 10 seconds left to cut the lead to 63-60.
But Easley made one of two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to end any hopes of a Wesleyan miracle comeback.
Jackson and House each scored 11 points for the Saints.