(MINNEAPOLIS, MN) As with any sport, a winning streak must come to its inevitable conclusion. For the St. Louis Surge, its 11-game undefeated run in the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL) was halted Sunday afternoon in a 99-96 road setback to the Minnesota Black Ice at Patrick Henry High School.
The three-point nail biter dropped the defending WBCBL national champions to 1-1 on the season.
Down 18-20 after the first quarter, the Surge tied the game, 41-41, heading into the halftime break.
Back-and-forth scoring was perpetual throughout the second half. With 6:30 left in the fourth quarter, Minnesota sported a 77-75 edge.
The closely-competitive narrative continued into the late stretch. With :26 left in the contest, the Black Ice possessed a 97-94 lead.
Both teams tallied similar points in the final push and Minnesota maintained the three-point differential for the 99-96 victory over the Surge.
Five St. Louis players scored double digits, paced by Jaleesa Butler’s 19 points. Leah Cotton and Rebecca Harris each collected 17 while Surge newcomers Sam Price and Cassie Rochel added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
The Surge faces the Missouri Arch Angels this Saturday at 7 p.m. at Fontbonne University in WBCBL Midwest Division action. The Arch Angels (1-1) defeated Minnesota, 76-73, Saturday to post its first victory of the season.
For more information on the Surge, go to stlsurgebasketball.com.
(Story constructed from the Surge’s official Facebook page and from the WBCBL website.)
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
