Small comes up big for ’Jacks against ACM
WYE MILLS – Whatever the problem was, Sydney Small was determined to fix it.
"Since then, I've been coming into the gym, working on my shot, my offense, my defense," said Small, recalling her reaction to a disappointing, two-point effort last week at Frederick Community College. "And in practice I worked harder than I've ever worked before."
The hard work has resulted in a quick payoff for Chesapeake College's freshman guard. Small, who had 21 points in Saturday's women's basketball win over the College of Southern Maryland, scored a career-high 31 points Monday night as the Skipjacks (15-1) wore down Allegany College of Maryland, 84-46.
Small had 19 first-half points as the Skipjacks built a 37-28 cushion. She scored 10 points in an early, 12-2 run that wiped out a 5-0 deficit and put the Skipjacks ahead to stay.
"I think we're coming together," said Small, who also had six assists, six rebounds, and four steals in the Skipjacks' seventh straight win.
Denver Clyde had a double-double for the Skipjacks with 21 points and 12 rebounds while Najah Chambers (five rebounds, four steals) added 18 points.
The Skipjacks, 81-44 winners over Allegany in November's conference contest between the two squads, couldn't shake the Trojans for much of the first half. Allegany was within 27-25 after Madison Nightengale capped a 9-2 run with a jumper off an offensive rebound with three minutes left in the first half.
Chesapeake, however, ran out the half with a 10-3 surge. Small started the run with a 3-point jumper and Clyde ended it with a three-point play with just 0.8 seconds remaining in the half.
Chesapeake's momentum carried over into the second half as the Skipjacks went on an 18-2 run right out of the break. Small and Chambers split all the points in an 8-0 run to open the second half. After Monique Rhodes hit a layup for Allegany, Clyde scored 10 straight points to stake the Skipjacks to a 55-30 lead.
Nightengale and Rhodes each scored 13 points to pace Allegany (2-16).
The Skipjacks host Howard Community College Friday at 5 p.m. in their final Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference contest of the season. Chesapeake completes its regular season with a February 6th game at Prince George's Community College that doesn't count in the conference standings.