Lourdes was even with Siena Heights with less than two minutes to play on Wednesday evening, but the Saints pulled out a 70-67 victory over the Gray Wolves inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.
"I am really proud of how our team keeps focused on what we want to accomplish and the team energy in the rec was contagious tonight," head coach
Tandy Bradford said afterwards. "We didn't come out with the win against a very traditionally talented Siena Heights team, and that is very disappointing. We don't have time to hang our heads; we have to get to work building off what we did do and get ready for Cornerstone on Saturday. They know that the grind of reaching for all our goals in our program is constant, and I am proud of how they are growing in leading each other for those goals."
The sister duo of
Emma Pedroza (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) and
Shae Pedroza (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) combined for 39 points on the night as the only two Gray Wolves to finish in double figures. Emma had a game-high 21 points, including three triples while Shae added 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor.
Lourdes started fast, jumping out to a 13-5 lead with 2:30 to play in the opening period as Emma made a pair of three-pointers while scoring eight points on the run. The Saints cut the Gray Wolf advantage to three early in the second quarter. Lourdes then scored the next nine points, capped by a
Nadeen Jemaa (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) three, to push the lead back to 12, 24-12, with just under six minutes to play before halftime. The Gray Wolves would carry an 11-point advantage, 36-25, into the locker room.
The Gray Wolves pushed the lead to as many as 14 in the early stages of the third and led by 13, 47-34, when Siena Heights scored the final 11 points of the frame. A three-pointer by Payton Banks on the opening possession of the fourth gave the Saints the lead as the vistors capped a 16-0 run.
Siena Heights (16-4, 9-3 WHAC) led by as many as five, 63-58, with 3:13 to play before a three-point play by
Macie Stringfellow (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) cut the Gray Wolves' deficit to two.
Shae Pedroza tied the game on a lay-in with 1:24 to play, only to see Banks respond with a three-point play on the other end of the floor to give the Saints the lead for good at the 1:08 mark.
Lourdes shot 49.1% from the floor and outrebounded the Saints 29-24 for the night.
Sha'kyia Parker led Siena Heights with 15 points while Banks added 14, all in the second half.
Lourdes (6-14, 3-9) remains home on Saturday afternoon as the Gray Wolves entertain Cornerstone. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. inside the Ebeid Rec Center.