Timber Creek rallies for victory

Timber Creek sophomore guard Jasmine Martin heeded the advice of her father that was given before yesterday's South Jersey Group 3 girls' basketball playoff game with visiting Moorestown.

"He said if you don't play this game as if it is your last, then it will be your last," Martin said.

It was Martin and her Timber Creek teammates who saved their best for last.

Trailing by seven points entering the fourth quarter, the Chargers scored the first 14 points of the final period as they defeated Moorestown, 45-39, to advance to tomorrow's second round.

The seventh-seeded Chargers (16-8) will visit second-seeded Manchester Township; 10th-seeded Moorestown finished its season 12-12.

Timber Creek didn't start the game with the same sense of urgency it displayed in the fourth quarter. Moorestown scored the game's first 10 points and outscored the Chargers, 16-4, in the opening period. Quakers point guard Wendy Garrett led the way with six first-quarter points, hitting all three of her field-goal attempts.

At that point, Timber Creek coach Donna Clark had only one thought.

"We better get going," Clark said she told her team.

Things began changing for the Chargers when they switched from a man-to-man defense to a 2-3 zone midway through the second quarter.

"The defense we were playing wasn't working," said Martin, who scored a game-high 16 points. "I think we stopped giving them open looks, and that was a key."

Moorestown was not only getting open looks but making them, and the Quakers were having success driving to the basket.

In what was a defensive struggle, the Quakers seemed to be in command, entering the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead.

Moorestown missed its first 12 shots of the fourth quarter and also had five turnovers. Against an opportunistic team such as Timber Creek, that was more than enough of an opening.

"In that fourth quarter we were trying to rush things too much," Moorestown first-year coach Chris Hill said.

Martin scored six points in the fourth quarter, and junior guard Lauren Alwan added seven of her 13 points in the final period.

Alwan gave the Chargers a lift in a rare reserve role. She is an all-Olympic Conference Patriot Division performer, but Clark wanted to bring her off the bench to bring the team a spark.

Consider it done.

"I like the lift she gives us off the bench," Clark said.

Like everybody else at Timber Creek, Alwan was impressed by the fourth quarter but wasn't crazy about the other three.

"We have to put it together all four quarters," Alwan said.

Moorestown was led by senior center Charlotte Fuller, who had 15 points. With a starting lineup that included four seniors and freshman Stephanie Toy, Moorestown was competitive against virtually every opponent this season.

"I'm very proud of the girls," Hill said. "We showed a lot of heart this season."

Moorestown 16 7 9 7 - 39

Timber Creek 4 14 7 20 - 45

M: Wendy Garrett 8, Charlotte Fuller 15, Alyssa Ogle 2, Candice Garrett 6, Stephanie Toy 8.

T: Lauren Alwan 13, Jasmine Washington 2, Amanda Magana 2, Jasmine Martin 16, Angie Miller 9, Deanna Miller 3.