Feb. 17, 2009 — The Charlotte Amalie High School Lady Chicken Hawks wore down the Antilles School Lady Hurricanes through four quarters Monday to win the St. Croix Central High School Invitational Basketball tournament girls championship 57-52.
Canes star Victoria Hamilton tried to put her team on her back and carry them to the championship, but she ran out of gas by the final period.
"This game was all about our inside play tonight," said Hawks Coach Myron Corbett. "The post players were extremely dominant. The guards were penetrating, but were a little frustrated early as they were missing some easy shots. But the big players were dominating on the boards, and that was the difference tonight. Hamilton, we understand, is probably the best female player in the territory, but one player does not make a team. We were more athletic and had too much depth, so we just wore her down in the end."
From the start it looked as if the fans were going to be in for a real treat as both teams came out firing and mostly hitting. At the end of the first quarter they were deadlocked at 15 points apiece. Hamilton had nine points for the Lady Canes and Te'Andre Richardson netted seven for the Lady Hawks.
The game was knotted at 16 all in the second quarter when the Lady Canes went on a 5-0 run to go up 21-16 with 3:41 left in the half. The Hawks then responded with a 14-8 run to take the lead at 30-29 heading into the locker room at the half. Hamilton again led the Lady Canes in the quarter with six points, while the Lady Hawks' center, Aesha Peters, also netted six for her squad.
The teams were still going at it in the third quarter and exchanged baskets for most of the period. In the end they were tied at 40 after three quarters of play, with Hamilton getting seven points for the Lady Canes.
A 7-0 run by the Lady Hawks to start the fourth quarter and they were on their way to the championship with a 47-40 lead. Hamilton showed signs of fatigue and the Lady Hawks took full advantage of the situation. Williams erupted for seven points in the final period as the Lady Hawks outscored the Lady Canes 17-12 down the stretch for a 57-52 victory and the tournament championship.
Amara Williams led the Lady Hawks with 19 points, LaShonda Creque netted 14 and Richardson finished with 11 points. For the Lady Canes, Hamilton finished with a game-high 23 points.
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