By DANIEL SHIRLEY
Kendra Grant vividly
remembers the year her Mercer women’s basketball team won just two games. It’s
hard to forget considering it was just two seasons ago.
But the Bears put
those memories to rest with a 63-53 win over Jacksonville on Thursday in the
first round of the 2013 General Shale A-Sun Basketball Championship. It marked
Mercer’s first win in the tournament since 2009.
The Bears, who
improved to 20-10 this season, had failed to qualify for the tournament the
past two seasons and lost in the first round in 2010.
“It’s just amazing,
to come back and bounce back from seasons like that to be where are now and
what we’ve been able accomplish,” said Grant, who is a junior. “It just shows
you what hard work and playing together can do for a team.”
The Bears improved
from two wins in 2010-11 to six wins last year, but they still failed to
qualify for the conference championship. There was no doubt they would make it
to the championship this year after they rolled off a 13-game winning streak in
the middle of the season.
Getting the win on Wednesday,
their first since the first round of the 2009 Championship, was another big
step forward for the program.
Mercer improved to
9-23 in its conference championship history.
“It’s very
exciting,” Grant said. “Coming into today, knowing I would be out there on the
floor for a lot of minutes, it was very exciting, and knowing we have a chance
to go all the way, that’s great. It’s just a great win for our program for us
to move forward.”
Grant played a key
role in the victory. She finished with 10 points and had two key baskets, the
Bears’ first two of the second half, to give Mercer some breathing room after
they led by four at halftime. Grant finished the day shooting 4-of-12 from the
floor, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range.
“I got some open
looks and got some good screens from my teammates, and they got me some good
passes for open looks, and I was just knocking them down,” Grant said. “That
was big for us.”
It was also
important for Grant to play well in her hometown.
“It’s very special
because you know you’re going to have your home crowd and have your family and
friends who have been following you and cheering you on,” Grant said. “It’s
very exciting that you have that support and that love out in the crowd.”
That crowd got to
see a milestone victory for the Mercer program. Thursday’s victory marked the
first time since the 1991-92 season that the Bears have won 20 games in a
season.
“That’s big,” Grant
said. “It definitely will be a memory that I keep with me forever and remember
how special this season has been.”
Now Grant and the
Bears have to turn their focus to the semifinals. Mercer will play Stetson at
2:30 p.m. on Friday. The Hatters defeated the Bears twice during the regular
season.
“Well, we just
played them recently, so they are fresh on our minds,” Grant said. “We just
have to remember what we did well against them and work on the things we didn’t
do well and work hard and be ready to play them again.”
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