A.C. Flora’s Kyeshia Dawkins guards Lower Richland’s Jasmine Richardson. Photo by Paulene Cruse On Friday, January 8, Kim Roach led the A.C. Flora lady Falcons to a 49–44 win over Lower Richland at the Diamond Mine. Roach scored a game–high 22 points receiving help from Bria Kitt who had 11. The Diamond Hornets were led by 19 points from Jasmine Harrison and 10 points from Ashley Edmond.

Roach and Kitt began the game hot scoring the first ten points for the Falcons as A.C. Flora held an early 10–5 lead. A three pointer from Jasmine Richardson help cut the Falcons lead to 10–8, but Roach ended the quarter with the final four points to take a 14–8 lead.

Lower Richland mounted a furious comeback to begin the second quarter. Harrison scored four, and Beatrice Williams chipped in two to tie the game at 14–14. Six straight points by A.C. Flora helped the Falcons regain their lead. Again Roach led the way with four of those six points. Justice Nathan put in a pair of free throws to cut the score to 20–16, but a pair of free throws from Roach and a basket from Simoy Evans gave A.C. Flora a 24–16 lead at halftime.

A.C. Flora’s Lauren Jones looks to pass. Photo by Paulene Cruse Lower Richland stormed back in the third quarter. At one point, the Diamond Hornets went on a 12–7 run to make the score 31–23. Five points from Harrison, along with four points from Ashley Edmond helped fuel the run. The Falcons, however, ended the quarter on a run of their own, scoring the final eight points including a buzzer beater by Roach to extend the Falcons lead to 41–30.

In the fourth quarter, Lower Richland put together one last run to cut the lead to 43–40. Harrison again led the run with six points. Edmond and Richardson each contributed a basket. However, it wasn’t enough as baskets from Evans, Kyeshia Dawkins, and Alexis Jacobs put the game away.

Baskets from Richardson and Edmond, for Lower Richland, decreased the deficit, but A.C. Flora escaped with the 49–44 win.