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Franklin
Monroe senior Taylor Robins netted 18 points Tuesday as the
Lady Jets squeaked out a 43-40 victory over Southeastern. Franklin
Monroe will take on Covington in the sectional Final Saturday at
Brookville. CNO file photo
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Lady Jets squeeze by Southeastern
FM to play
Covington in sectional final
By George Starks
BROOKVILLE- After watching Southeastern barely get by Twin Valley South
in the opening round of sectional play Saturday at Brookville, Franklin
Monroe coach Gavin Spitler saw a much different bunch of Lady Trojans
Tuesday.
Led by freshman Lexie Perry with 15 points, the Southeastern Lady
Trojans gave Franklin Monroe fits.
Trailing the Trojans, 20-17 at the break, Franklin Monroe outscored the
Trojans, 12-4 in the third quarter and was forced to hold its
opposition off in the final frame to post a 43-40 sectional victory.
Even though the third quarter offense loomed huge in the final outcome,
it was the Jets defense that was even bigger in the third eight minutes.
“We played great defense,” said FM coach Gavin Spitler. “We talked
about this in the locker room at half-time. We talked about playing
physical and taking the game to them and not allowing them to take it
to us. We only gave up four points in that quarter and we scored 12 and
that’s a pretty big difference.”
On offense, the Jets were led by senior Taylor Robins with 18 points,
going nine of 14 from the foul line.
In the first quarter, Robins netted seven points and was silenced the
rest of the half.
“She made a couple of baskets in the first quarter and then she kind of
got out of control,” said Spitler. “She got into foul trouble because
she was reaching and that hurt us. She basically didn’t do much in the
second and third quarter but in the fourth quarter, when it really
mattered, she came through. She stepped up and knocked down a lot of
foul shots in the fourth quarter.”
With Southeastern up 5-4 early, the Jets hit the tarmac running, going
on a 5-0 spurt, taking a 9-5 lead before the Jets asked for time.
The Trojans came out of the timeout and started to pick up the pace on
offense, keeping things close, trailing 13-12 after one.
Southeastern started to march in the second stanza, gaining a 16-15
lead and was up 19-15 with just over two minutes remaining in the half.
The Jets cut it to two on a offensive rebound and put back by senior
Haley Gray.
Southeastern would get a foul shot with 11.9 seconds left on the clock
to hold a three point edge at the half.
While Robins was quite in the third frame, it was her fourth quarter
fireworks that got the Jets sparked up and playing FM basketball.
As a team, Franklin Monroe would shoot a dismal 11/22 from the charity
stripe but Robins would hit 9/14 to help lead the Jets to the win.
In support of Robins’ 18, Allison Snider stepped up with 11 points of
her own.
With the win, the Jets will take on Covington Saturday in the sectional
title game.
“Covington is a very disciplined team,” said Spitler. “The run their
stull and get the shots they want.”
Franklin Monroe lost to the Buccs, 53-48, on the road on December 4.
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