Cleveland's Qetuwrah Adullah-Muhammad shoots over Jessica Fickkert and Brandis Dyer of CCS during the Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps basketball tournament on Monday.Pam Hindman lost a bet but really didn't mind. The Chattanooga Christian girls' basketball coach turned 50 Monday and promised to wear an "Over the Hill" hat and other accessories if her team defeated Cleveland in the first round of the Best of Preps tournament.
So following the 42-40 victory, Hindman emerged from the locker room decked out in her birthday garb, then was attacked with silly string. The win, she said, was worth the embarrassment.
"They wanted me to wear it during the game, so at least I got to wait," she said. "We made it a bit closer than we had to, but this is a good win. Cleveland is so athletic and well coached, so this proves to the girls we can play with teams like that."
The Lady Chargers won without high scoring Brandis Dyer getting a point, though her 16 rebounds against the taller Lady Blue Raiders was a key factor. Taking up the slack were Mercedes Owens, who scored 11 of her 14 points in the first half, and Presley Watson, who scored 10 of her 14 in the second half.
The lead was 29-19 when Cleveland's Jalesa Perkins hit five quick points to ignite a 10-2 run that cut the deficit to two. The margin was just one after Atrah Abdullah-Muhammad's 3-pointer with 6:16 remaining in the game, before a Watson drive and Jessica Fikkert layup halted the surge.
The margin stood at two following a Perkins free throw with six seconds left. Dyer was fouled and missed the front end of a one-and-one with four seconds left, but a half-court 3-point attempt hit the back rim as the final horn sounded.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296.