Crestview defeats Lisbon

Erica Sims became the all-time scoring leader in Lisbon girls basketball.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
LISBON -- Crestview High basketball player Chelsea Bowker is only a sophomore, but she is already capable of rising to the occasion with a big game on the line.
Bowker scored 24 points and grabbed 24 rebounds as the Rebels turned back Lisbon, 54-38, Monday night on the road to remain atop the Inter Tri-County League Tier One standings.
"Chelsea Bowker thrives on this type of environment," Rebels coach Tanja Simione said. "With their student section [taunting her] and all the hype of this game, she's the type of player that loves it and she wanted the ball.
Moves toward basket
"When we got her the ball, she was able to go strong to the basket and get us points when we needed them," Simione said.
The Rebels (12-2) and Blue Devils came into the contest tied with identical league marks of 6-1, along with United High School.
Lisbon (11-3) features the league's top scoring threat in Erica Sims.
Sims didn't disappoint as she became the all-time scoring leader in Lisbon girls basketball history when she scored her ninth point of the game early in the second quarter.
Sims broke the mark of 953 points set by Dawn Marple who graduated in 1989 and was a member of the Blue Devils' final four team that year. Marple later went on to perform in the 1996 Summer Olympics with the United States team handball squad.
For the most part, the Rebels kept Sims in check and held the senior to 14 points, 11 below her season average.
Stifling defense
Crestview's stifling defense also held junior Emily Smith to two points, one game after she set the school record by making eight three-pointers in a game.
"Our defense was outstanding," Simione said. "Defense was our game plan and we practiced it all week. We held them to 38 points."
Lisbon, a prolific three-point shooting team, was 0-for-25 from behind the arc and shot just 24 percent (16-67) from the field.
"I don't know what happened," Lisbon coach Jamie Entrikin said. "We've been on fire [shooting the ball]. Tonight, the shots weren't falling for us.
"You have to give credit to Crestview," Entrikin said. "They played pretty good defense but I thought we had enough open looks that we normally knock down.
"We didn't knock them down for whatever reason."
Lisbon led for most of the first half as Sims scored 12 of her 14 points in the first two quarters and Crestview struggled to get their offense untracked.
Bowker finally was able to use her size and strength to get to the hoop and score.
Rebels rally
Bowker scored 10 points in the second quarter as the Rebels rallied from a 16-11 deficit to take a 22-21 lead into the lockerroom on a basket and foul shot by the sophomore with two seconds remaining in the half.
Those points seemed to energize the Rebels who came out in the third quarter with an 11-2 run to turn the game.
The Rebels led by nine points, 39-30, after three quarters.
Lisbon made a run in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 39-34, but Bowker and senior guard Elyse Mongillo were too much for Lisbon down the stretch.
Mongillo finished with nine points and 10 rebounds while Hillary Phillis added seven points and eight rebounds.
For the Blue Devils, Erica Snoddy chipped in with 10 points.