Lady Texans Knock Off Third Ranked Midland

LEVELLAND, Texas - The South Plains College Lady Texans scored a major victory Monday night, knocking off the third ranked and previously unbeaten Midland College Lady Chaparrals 55-52 at the Texan Dome.  The victory improves the Lady Texans to 8-3 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference play and 21-6 overall and strengthens their grip on second place in the WJCAC.  Midland falls to 12-1 in conference action and 28-1 for the season.


The Lady Texans took the early advantage, jumping out to a 6-2 lead in the first four minutes of the contest.  Midland then went on a 6-2 run themselves to knot the score up 8-8 with 14:29 to go in the half.  Chasity Workman then scored her four points of the game over the next three minutes to lead a 6-1 Lady Texan charge to go ahead 14-9.  Midlands Lyrell Barfield quickly narrowed that lead to two points by nailing a shot from beyond the arc.  After a Dayon Hall-Jones foul, Midland's Dymond Morgan mad 1-of-2 free throws to bring her team within one midway through the period.  After three minutes of defensive play and no scoring, Heather Sheppard and Leeshantea Johnson led Midland on a 5-0 run to take an 18-14 lead with just over six minutes to go in the half.  SPC's Dayon Hall-Jones countered the Midland attack by making two consecutive field goals to tie the game up at 18.  A Midland free throw then put the Lady Chaps back ahead by a point, but then SPC's Sajoyia Griffin scored four of her game high 23 points to end the half and send SPC to the locker room with a 22-21 lead.

Rachel Gray and Sajoyia Griffin brought the Lady Texans out of the locker room and took their team on a 9-0 start to begin the second half, taking a 31-21 lead.  Midland would not give up as they would then score the next five points to cut the lead in half.  Rachel Gray immediatley answered with one of her three 3-point field goals to give SPC a 34-26 lead with 14:15 to go in the game.  The two teams each scratch and clawed over the next several minutes before Midland closed the gap to four points with just under seven minutes left on the clock.  Sajoyia Griffin then converted two free throws to increase the Lady Texan lead to six.  

With 4:48 left on the clock, Chasity Workman fouled Midland's Florencia Fernandez, who made the bucket and converted the free throw to bring the Lady Chaps back to within three, 44-41.  SPC rallied again and went on another 6-0 run to take a nine point lead.  Midland, however, had no quit in them as they again closed to within three points with under a minute left in regulation.  Leading 53-50, the Lady Texans used the clock to their advantage, moving the ball around until a Midland defender fouled Sajoyia Griffin with 18 seconds to play.  Griffin made both free throws to make it a two possesion game.  Midland's Leeshantea Johnson made a layup before time expired, but it was too little too late as SPC held on for the victory.

The Lady Texans travel to Borger, Texas on Thursday to take on Frank Phillips.  FPC had a record of 2-7 in WJCAC play coming into tonights games.  Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted live on KLVT 1230 AM and www.hprnetwork.com.