RENAISSANCE vs. CASS TECH

COMING OFF TWO WINS THE PHOENIX WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM INTO THE CASS GAME. CT BEING RANKE DIN THE PRE-SEASON, BROUGHT IN A TOUGH TEAM IN RENAISSANCE. THE FIRST HALF WAS NIP AND TUCK BATTLE WITH EACH POSSESION BEING CRITICAL. CHENE PHILLIPS STARTED THE PHOENIX OFF RIGHT WITH 7 1ST QUARTER POINTS. THE SECOND QUARTER BELONGED TO CASS' LANIER BROWN, IN WHICH HE SCORED 11 OF HIS 20 POINTS. AT HALFTIME THE SCORE WAS TIED @ 34.

THE THIRD QUARTER IS WHERE THE GAME WAS DECIDED FOR THE MOST PART. THE PHOENIX GOT OFF SLOWLY AND COULDN'T MAKE A BASKET. BEING HELD TO JUST TWO FIELD GOALS IN THE QUARTER, CASS TOOK A 47- 40 LEAD GOING INTO THE 4TH.

SENIOR CHENE PHILLIPS, WHO HAS BEEN THE LEADING SCORER IN EVERY GAME FOR THE PHOENIX, WAS IN FOUL TROUBLE FOR MOST OF THE GAME BUT PLAYED THROUGH IT. WITH CASS GOING ON A 7-0 RUN IN THE FOURTH AND GOING UP 14, PHILLIPS LED THE CHARGE BACK. BY CUTTING THE LEAD TO 9 WITH 3:30 REMAINING, THE PHOENIX WERE POISED FOR A COMEBACK. HOWEVER, ON THE NEXT POSSESION, CHENE FOULED OUT AND FINISHED WITH 21 POINTS.

WITH CHENE ON THE BENCH, SOMEBODY FOR THE PHOENIX HAD TO TAKE OVER IN ORDER THEM TO WIN. SOPHOMORE JALEN SIMS SCORED 10 OF HIS 13 POINTS IN THE 4TH AND CUT THE LEAD TO 4 WITH 19 SECONDS LEFT. CASS SPLITS A ONE AND ONE AND JALEN SIMS DRIVES THE LENGTH OF THE COURT AND SCORES. THE LEAD IS THREE WITH 14 SECONDS LEFT.

ON THE BASELINE, THE PHOENIX CAME A HALF A SECOND SHORT OF DRAWING A FIVE SECOND COUNT BEFORE CASS CALLS TIMEOUT. ON THE NEXT INBOUND, CASS GETS FOULED, MAKES 2 FREE THROWS AND GET THE WIN.

SENIOR CHENE PHILLIPS LED THE PHOENIX WIRG 21 POINTS, 5 REBS AND 4 ASSISTS. SOPHOMORE JALEN SIMS ADDED 13 POINTS AND JUNIOR CENTER MICHAEL HUNDLEY HAD 9 POINTS 8 REBOUNDS AND 7 BLOCKS FOR RENAISSANCE.

CASS WAS LED BY LANIER BROWN WITH 21 POINTS.

PHOENIX BOX SCORE