Lady Roadrunners advance to championship game

The second-seeded Lady Roadrunners defeated the third-seeded Moberly Area Community College Lady Greyhounds 67-57 in a Region 16 Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament semifinal on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 25, at the Ozark Christian College Multipurpose Building in Joplin. SFCC (21-7) outscored Moberly 21-10 in the second quarter to take control of the game. 

"We really played well in the first and second quarters even though we only had a 13-point lead at halftime," said Lady Roadrunners Head Coach Kevin Bucher. "We took care of all facets of the game and were able to score baskets. I also liked the way we moved the ball. We played well defensively in the first half, and that's the recipe for winning. The second half was totally different. I like the resiliency of our team. Moberly got the lead down to six points, but we were able to finish it off." 

Sophomore guard Sierra Clayborn led four Lady Roadrunners in double-figure scoring with 17 points. Sophomore forward Thelma "TuTu" Williams contributed 13 points and also pulled down seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Seara Clayborn pitched in with 12. Sophomore guard Zhanesha Dickerson added 10 points and also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Dickerson and freshman center Kendra Boone registered two steals each to tie for the team lead. Seara Clayborn, Sierra Clayborn, freshman guard Danae' Cole and Dickerson all tied for the team lead in assists with two each. Sierra Clayborn and Boone recorded one block apiece. 

SFCC will take on the top-seeded Mineral Area College Lady Cardinals in the championship game on Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Ozark Christian College Multipurpose Building in Joplin. 

David Rohrbach

SFCC Athletics