Girls Basketball: Santaluces eliminates Wellington from playoffs in 56-51 win

LANTANA – The Santaluces Lady Chiefs would find themselves down by five almost midway through the first after the Wellington Lady Wolverines came out firing early and often.

Wellington’s Mia Jones would score on a huge fast break play and complete the and-one play. Santaluces would surge back into the game by cutting Wellington’s lead to 18-15 at the end of the first.

The Lady Chiefs would come out firing in the second and tie the game at 18-all with a three from Brona Jean, who would then score on a fast break layup soon thereafter.

A 13-0 run by the Lady Chiefs would end midway through the second as the Lady Wolverines looked to wake up.

Heaven Sanders would knock down a huge three to increase the Lady Chiefs lead. Emiah Downie would be on fire for the Lady Chiefs down the stretch and help get them to a 36-27 halftime lead.

Whitney Howell was doing it all as she tallied 14 points and 15 rebounds at the half.

The Lady Chiefs would go up 40-27 midway through the third as Howell and Emiah Downie continued the Chiefs surge. But Wellington would find some life after a long three by Jones.

Wellington’s Alaysha Iwais would get her team on the board in the third after a fast break layup and her act would be followed up Laneka Owen with a layup of her own. The Wolverines would be down 40-38 at the end of the third frame, completing an 11-0 run in the process.

Julian Duncan would knock down two long range threes in the fourth to get the Lady Wolverines rolling to a 48-44 lead midway through the fourth.

The game would be at 48-all with a little under four minutes left in the fourth as both teams could feel the pressure to make something happen.