Emmanuel, Beijing Sports University Tie 76-76
January 02, 2008
With a few hours of shopping the only activity on the morning schedule, the Saints had a rather relaxing day Wednesday before making their way over to Beijing Sports University for their second game of the trip. After a busy first few days in which everyone witnessed some of the country's most spectacular sights for the first time, no one was prepared for the next first China would hand them - let alone one that would occur on the basketball court.
With the score tied 76-76, Beijing Sports University elected to end its contest with the Emmanuel women after 48 minutes of regulation play, resulting in an unprecedented tie. Despite looking forward to another quarter against their worthy opponents, the Saints gracefully accepted the decision due to the good nature of the game, and were especially appreciative of the enthusiastic play of the defending city champions.
Looking to improve after a disappointing loss earlier in the week, the Saints unfortunately found themselves struggling out of the gate, falling behind 9-0 in the first few minutes of play. Utilizing their quick defensive schemes to jumpstart their offense, the women fought to get themselves into the game, slowly finding the momentum that had eluded them during the previous match. After a put back by Abigail Brenkach '10 tied the score at 20 apiece early in the second quarter, the Saints appeared to be firing on all cylinders, opening up a seven-point lead thanks to a 10-3 run. Their Chinese counterparts responding with a run of their own, however, would leave the Saints trailing at halftime, 38-32.
In the third quarter, guard Jade Paez '08 started to find her groove, sinking nine of her team-high 19 points to keep her squad within striking distance. After Iman Davis '10 and Maura Mooney '08 assisted each other on back-to-back baskets to bring the Saints within three, Paez scored the final six points of the quarter to tie the game at 58-58 heading into the final 12 minutes of play.
A couple of devastating three-pointers from the sharp-shooting Beijing Sports University players, mixed with shots failing to fall for the Saints, again led to a surge by the home team, resulting in a 70-62 lead with just over five minutes left to play. Thanks to the Davis-Mooney tandem, the Saints once again battled back, with the duo combining to score the next eight points to cut the lead to three. Two quick steals and subsequent baskets quickly gave the advantage to Emmanuel, 74-73, bringing the team's cheering section to its feet for the final 1:45 on the clock. While another steal and basket by Davis had all the signs of setting the Saints up for the win, an intentional foul call and final minute lay-up for Beijing evened the score once again, this time for good.
As a team, the Saints put together an especially impressive defensive showing as they combined for 22 steals, 13 of which occur in the second half. Paez led the charge with seven, followed by Davis, who finished with six, and Casey Shevlin '11 with five. Offensively, Davis finished with 17 points, with Leah Lipschitz '08 (11 points) and Brenkach (10 points) also reaching double digits for the Saints.
Satisfied with the effort, but still a little disappointed in the surprising outcome, the Saints and the rest of the crew left the university's campus to grab a bite to eat before heading back to the hotel. En route to Beijing's Hard Rock Café, the group was able to get a look at the upcoming Olympics' main stadium, dubbed the "Bird Cage" due to its nest-like architectural design. The group's guide, Richard, pointed out that the arena will not only serve as the location for the track & field events, but the Olympics' opening ceremony as well.
After dinner, the group got the chance to thank Richard and the other members of the Beijing International Group (BIG), whose unwavering hospitality has played a vital role in the success of the trip. Each BIG staff member was presented with a gift by the Emmanuel crew along with cards signed by everyone from the 38-person party.
Finally arriving back at the hotel around 9:30 p.m., players and coaches took the opportunity to pack a few items in preparation for their early departure to Guangzhou, where they would play their final game against the Jinli All Stars.