PORT HURON – Asiyah Jihad (Farmington, Mich./North Farmington) dropped in a team-high 14 points and
Vanessa Galovich (Sterling Heights, Mich./Utica) followed closely with 13 to lead Macomb Women's Basketball to a 55-50 comeback victory over South Suburban on Friday (Jan. 3). The win, the Monarchs' third in a row, tipped off the Skippers New Year's Classic in Port Huron, Mich.
The three-game winning streak levels the team's record at 6-6 on the season.
Giving up plenty of size to a lengthy South Suburban team, the Monarchs were outscored in the paint over the game's opening 20 minutes by a 20-6 margin. The large differential led to a 29-22 halftime deficit as the Blue & White went to the locker room to regroup for second half action.
In the second half, the Monarchs came out with a renewed effort and outscored South Suburban in the third quarter, 16-9, and later owned a 17-12 edge in the fourth quarter to earn the come-from-behind victory. The 33-21 advantage in the second half was a product of the Monarchs turning the tables in the matchup as the Blue & White posted a 12-10 edge in points in the paint over the final 20 minutes, negating South Suburban's bread and butter from the opening half.
The Monarchs' bench made an impact Friday, outscoring South Suburban 10-0 in the category thanks in large part to eight second half points by
Zion Harris (Clinton Twp., Mich./Lakeview). The Monarchs also won the turnover battle and turned 20 South Suburban miscues into an 18-13 edge in points off turnovers.
Jihad added nine points and a pair of steals to her team-leading 14-point afternoon, while Galovich pulled down six rebounds and dished out four assists to accompany a 13-point effort.
Sydney Garon (Shelby Twp., Mich./Henry Ford II) followed with nine points on a trio of triples and
A'Liyah Forris (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of seven points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals in the comeback win.
The Monarchs wrap up their time at the Skippers New Year's Classic with an 11 a.m. matchup against Kalamazoo Valley Community College on Saturday.
