Fellowship Christian School
MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS8th Grade Girls Basketball - Season Highlights NAML Tournament - Championship February 4 FCS 34 vs Mt Paran 31 Fellowship entered the NAML Championship with a 13-2 record and would face the only team to beat them during the season. Mt. Paran came in as the undefeated #1 seed, and really had only been challenged once during the season by the Lady Paladins. It was going to be a difficult challenge, but the girls felt ready to take it on. The team had come up with a great defensive game plan and felt very confident in their defense, the question would be if they could score enough against Paran's 1-3-1 defense. The team played well in the 1st quarter but could not buy a basket. They trailed 9-3 at the end of the first frame, and they found themselves down 14-3 in the 2nd. As the offense began to find its rhythm, the ladies were able to close the half on an 8-0 run and narrow the deficit to 11-14 at the break. After making several offensive adjustments, FCS came out on fire in the second half. The 3rd quarter ended with Fellowship leading 23-22, and the game stayed close with both teams taking leads in the 4th. The Paladins continued to play great defense on Mt. Paran's 2 strong threats, and the Fellowship offense played well. FCS took a 4 point lead with less than a minute to go, but Mt. Paran continued to fight and found themselves down 3 with 4 seconds left and possession of the ball. Mt Paran played for a three, but the Paladin defense was too good. The team secured the rebound and the NAML championship. Coach Welty said, "This was one of the most special games I have been a part of. To come back and get the win over a team that had beaten us two times in the regular season is a terrific feeling. Really, no one thought we could win other than our Paladin family. For the girls to execute the game plan the way they did was amazing. I am so, so proud of them and what they were able to accomplish. I am more proud of the type of young ladies they are. This was a total team effort and I could not have asked for a better ending to the season. I think it is one we will all remember for a long time. It was a joy to coach them and I am thankful for the opportunity I had to work with each of them." NAML Tournament - Semi-finals February 2 FCS 54 Pinecrest 28 The Lady Paladins faced the Pinecrest Paladins semi-final match on Pinecrest's home court. Pinecrest came out and dictated a frenetic pace to open the game. FCS didn’t handle it well at first and got caught up in a very up and down game that lacked organization. With an 8 point lead at the half, the team still made a few adjustments to their game, which allowed Fellowship to much better handle the intense pressure from Pinecrest. Fellowship was able to pull away, the press started to work well, and FCS executed better in the half court offense. All of that added up to a 54-28 victory, sending them to the NAML championship game against Mt. Paran. NAML Tournament - 1st Round January 31 FCS 33 Perimeter 12 The Lady Paladins faced Perimeter in the first round of the NAML playoffs. Fellowship did not start out very well, making too many unforced turnovers and missing many open shots. Despite the lackluster play, FCS led 12-7 at the half. The team made some defensive and offensive adjustments at half and came out with more focus and energy in the 2nd half. The ladies got back to their pressing ways and forced many turnovers that led to easy layups. Thanks to sound defensive play, the Paladins were able to pull away and advance to the semi-finals with a 33-12 victory. The Lady Paladins will play at Pinecrest on Thursday at 4:00pm. December 7 FCS 34 Mt Vernon 4 Fellowship traveled to Mt. Vernon as they tangled with the Mustangs on their home court. The Paladins came out very strong, jumping out to a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. And with that, the team never looked back. It was a total team effort, and everyone played with great defensive intensity. The team had 24 steals that led to many fast break opportunities. When FCS did have to set up in the half court, the team executed the offense beautifully. With the victory, the ladies improved to 5-0 on the season. They will face 2 tough opponents in Walker and Mt. Paran next on the schedule. November 17 FCS 39 Pinecrest 24 In the battle of the Paladins Thursday night, it was the FCS Paladins that came away with the victory at Pinecrest by a score of 39-24. It was a great team effort as everyone contributed and played hard. FCS did a great job adjusting to the way the flow of the game and really settled down in the second half. The team was not able to be as aggressive as they would have liked, but they did a great job playing good position defense and forcing tough shots. The team was a little shaky on the offensive end, but eventually they settled down and moved the ball well and created good scoring opportunities. The Lady Paladins are now 2-0.. November 15
FCS 33 Mt Vernon 4 The Lady Paladins took to the court Tuesday night for their season opener against the Mustangs from Mt. Vernon. And, what a great opening night it was. The Lady Paladins took control early and never let up. They jumped out to an 18-0 1st half lead, and finished with a 33-4 victory. The defense was stifling with 29 steals that resulted in many layups. The offense looked good for a first game with good ball movement and passing. The team will work to improve on their shooting, but that is to be expected after a first game. Overall, it was a great night that saw all 11 girls get game experience, and all of them contributing to the win. Season Photo Gallery
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