Junior’s Clutch Three-Point Shot Lifts Firebirds to 59-56 Victory Over Roberts Wesleyan

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WASHINGTON, DC – A clutch three-point shot by senior guard Janelle Junior just as the shot clock expired gave the Firebirds a four-point lead with 32 seconds left to play, and the University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team held on for a 59-56 victory over East Coast Conference newcomer, Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at UDC Gym.

Clinging to a one-point lead with the ball and under a minute left to play, junior point guard Teara Shaw was dribbling around the three-point line and could not seem to find any of her teammates open. But with the shot clock winding down, she floated a pass deep into the corner for Junior, who buried a long-range three-pointer with a hand in her face to make it a two-possession game. That was the only made three-point field goal of the second half for District of Columbia, but it could not have come at a better time as the Firebirds would ultimately hold on to win, 59-56.

Junior (Administration of Justice – Riverside, CA/La Sierra HS) led all scorers with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field (2-of-5 from long-range) and also added four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Shaw (Health Education – Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy HS) finished with 12 points, five assists and two steals, and reserve guards, junior Julissa Anderson (Criminal Justice – Greensboro, NC/Southeast Guilford HS) and sophomore Denikka Brent (Mechanical Engineering – Chesapeake, VA/Booker T. Washington HS) each added 10 points apiece as well.

Roberts Wesleyan featured a very balanced scoring attack which included nine different players in the scoring column, and only one – reserve Sarah Alwardt – in double-figures with 10 points. Marissa Sell also finished with eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds, Carneisha Henry grabbed 11 rebounds to go with four points, and Brittany Williams pitched in with nine points.

While the Redhawks enjoyed a +13 rebounding margin (47-34), the Firebirds out-shot RWC 35-percent to 31-percent from the field and turned the ball over just 12 times compared to their guest's 20 miscues.

District of Columbia jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first 3:28 of action, but the Redhawks answered back with a 14-0 run over the next five minutes to pull in front, 15-9. The next five minutes, however, would see the Firebirds mount a 16-0 run, helped along by Anderson's eight points as District of Columbia claimed a 25-15 lead approaching the six-minute mark. This time, Roberts Wesleyan responded with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 25-22, and ultimately the Firebirds would only take a 29-24 lead into intermission.

The Firebirds outscored the Redhawks 8-4 in the opening four minutes of the second half to take a 37-28 lead, but Roberts Wesleyan rattled off the next nine straight points to force a 37-all tie with 13:38 left to play. A pair of free-throws by Junior and a jumper by Shaw gave the Firebirds a four-point lead at the 12:30 mark, but RWC went on an 8-0 march to take its own four-point lead, 45-41 with 8:37 remaining.

Back came the Firebirds with a 6-0 run to pull in front, 47-45 after a pair of free-throws by Anderson, but RWC's Lakiah Huff connected on an outside jumper to knot the score at 47-apiece.

Over the next six minutes, neither team would lead by more than one point as there were seven lead changes and two more ties. The final lead change came on a running jumper in the lane by Shaw to give the Firebirds a 55-54 lead at the 1:18 mark. Still clinging to that one-point lead, Junior put the nail in the coffin with her clutch three-pointer with 32 ticks left, and the Firebirds went on to win by three, 59-56.

The Firebirds now have two weeks off for the holiday break before they host the D.C. Winter Classic on December 29^th and 30^th. They will first take on non-conference foe Felician on December 29^th at 3 p.m.