Raptors pull away late, defeat Chesapeake College women

By BENJAMIN BRUNNER

ROCKVILLE – Caleema Johnson scored a game-high 27 points Saturday afternoon as host Montgomery College broke open a close game late in recording a 77-65 women's basketball victory over visiting Chesapeake College.

Armonie Lomax (five steals, five rebounds) scored 15 points and Anu Bamijoko added 12 points and 18 rebounds for Montgomery.  Sheri Addison was the fourth Raptor in double figures with 11 points.

Montgomery scored the final five points of the first half to erase a 34-31 deficit and take a 36-34 lead into the break.

Chantelle Gross (six assists) scored a game-high 18 points to pace Chesapeake while Janice Ladson (six assists) added 13.  Shahra Madison notched another double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Skipjacks.  Deondria Wimber chipped in eight points.

While the Raptors (10-2 overall, 4-1 league) won their seventh straight, Chesapeake (7-5, 5-2) fell back into the middle of the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference pack.  Chesapeake head coach Gwen Barnes cited "two factors – defensive intensity and turnovers" after her Skipjacks turned the ball over 21 times.

"To close the gap, we needed to play more defense," said Barnes.  "We played Montgomery's game; we needed to play Chesapeake's game."

The Skipjacks will play their last game of 2016 on Thursday at 6 p.m. against visiting Delaware County Community College.