Chesapeake routs Howard, sets school record
WYE MILLS – Sydney Small and Dejhonae Cannady combined for 26 first-half points Saturday night as Chesapeake College rolled to a 95-46 women's basketball victory over visiting Howard Community College.
Small finished with a game-high 20 points and Cannady added 18 as the Skipjacks (16-1) finished their Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference schedule with an 11-1 mark. That set a school record for best conference winning percentage.
Despite the school record, the Skipjacks are likely to just miss out on their first conference crown. Harford Community College (20-2, 10-1) will match Chesapeake's 11-1 league mark if the Owls beat Garrett College (9-7, 3-6) in their final conference contest, and win the tiebreaker due to their victory over Chesapeake.
"I'm pleased," said Chesapeake head Damon Nichols of his team's conference season. "With the ups and downs we've had all season – the injuries, kids academically ineligible – we still managed to be 11-1."
Denver Clyde (18 points, seven rebounds, three steals) and Najah Chambers (12 points, four rebounds) joined Small (four assists) and Cannady (four rebounds) in double figures. Brittany Taylor (four points, four rebounds) had a team-high 10 assists while Katara Pressley (eight points, eight rebounds) and Rose Smith (five points, seven rebounds) helped Chesapeake control the boards.
The Skipjacks, who have won seven straight, blew out to a 56-20 halftime lead as their press gave Howard fits.
"We came out with pressure right off the bat and caused a lot of turnovers," said Nichols, whose team finished with 17 steals. "We really got into our spots and people got deflections and steals out of it. We probably pressed only about eight or 10 minutes the whole game, but it was effective when we used it."
Small is averaging 24 points per game over the last three contests.
"Sydney Small is distributing the ball, knocking down her shots and she's an all-around good kid," Nichols said of his freshman guard.
The Skipjacks went 14-for-17 from the foul line and played so well defensively that they earned a couple of days off.
"This was by far the best defensive game we've had all year," said Nichols. "I told them anything under 50 (in points allowed) and we won't practice Monday or Tuesday. They really answered that call."
Parris Preston led Howard (5-14, 1-10) with 16 points.
Chesapeake hosts Prince George's Community College Saturday night at 7 p.m. in their final regular-season game of the season. After that non-conference contest, the Skipjacks will go after their second consecutive state tournament title, likely as the second seed behind Harford.
"We're getting ready for states," said Nichols, who noted Cannady's return to eligibility after missing eight games is a big boost heading into the postseason. "With Dejhonae Cannady coming back, it's perfect timing. She came out and had a good game."