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Fauquier knocks Battlefield girls out of playoffs in OT, 37-31
High school sports can create odd paradoxes sometimes.
In the 2006-07 season, the Battlefield girls basketball team finished the year with a sub-.500 record.
Yet the Bobcats not only hosted a first-round playoff game in the Cedar Run District tournament as a No. 3 seed, but actually won and advanced to the semifinals.
This year, Battlefield put up its first-ever above-.500 record (13-9 overall, 7-7 district) in the regular season.
The Haymarket team also gave undefeated Stonewall Jackson its scare of the season earlier this month, taking a second-half lead against the Raiders and trailing by only five points with five minutes remaining in a game ultimately lost 53-36.
Even with momentum clearly in their direction, the Bobcats lost 37-31 in the opening round of the playoffs on Friday.
The game was their home court and against a team in they had already beat once during the regular season.
So what happened?
“I don’t think they were mentally ready to play at the beginning of the game,” said Battlefield Coach Eric McCaslin, noting his team went down by 10 points at the end of the first quarter.
Battlefield had just toppled Liberty three nights earlier and even took out 2006-07 district runner-up Osbourn Park on Feb. 5.
While the purple and black fought back against Fauquier and even forced the visitors into overtime, foul trouble decimated the Bobcat defense. Star guard Selina Mann eventually fouled out.
“Offensively, they just found the hole in our zone,” said McCaslin.
When Mann tried to plug that hole, she was called for fouls.
“It was tough because she was playing the same defense she had been playing where she was getting steals and not getting called,” explained McCaslin. “Then, all of the sudden, she picks up two quick fouls in overtime and she’s done.”
He chalked up his team’s offensive woes to the most basic of basketball fundamentals: making baskets.
An 8-16 team performance from the free throw line hampered Battlefield’s chances to snatch an easy lead from Fauquier. Other shots from the floor looked good as players penetrated the Falcon’s 2-3 zone.
But they would not fall through the hoop.
Mann led the team with 10 points and center-forward Annie Jones tossed in eight. No other Bobcat posted more than four points.
According to the coach, poor shooting by Battlefield led to Fauquier sustaining confidence in its zone approach to defense.
“You didn’t want to end on the note that we ended on,” said McCaslin.
Now comes the rebuilding for next season.
Fortunately for McCaslin and company, there should be a lot working in Battlefield’s favor.
All five starters should be returning, with the bulk of them, including Mann, entering their senior year.
Battlefield will also not have to contend with the best player on the best team; Stonewall Jackson star Gwen Washington is due to graduate in June.
“And I told them flat out,” said McCaslin of a conversation he had with his players, “Right now, my goal is to shoot for a state championship.”
It’s certainly a tall order for a team just breaking the .500 crescendo for the first time.
But McCaslin sees one of the best guards in the state in Mann. He also expects eight of 12 players to return, and a potentially more rigorous off-season schedule ahead for his players.
“How many times are you going to have five returning starters back and have one of the best players in the state?” he asked. “I don’t know if that’s going to happen too often.”
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