Sports
Bowie Falls to Wise, 54-33 in MD 4A South Region Championship Game
After falling to Bowie twice in the regular season, the third time's the charm in the championship game for the Lady Pumas.
The Wise Lady Pumas were simply too much for the Bowie Lady Bulldogs tonight. After losing to the Lady Bulldogs twice in the regular season, by scores of 55-40 (Feb. 3 at Wise) and 48-39 (Feb. 15 at Bowie), the Lady Pumas took the game that ultimately mattered most.
The game was played at Wise High School, simply due to the fact that it is a large facility that holds many spectators. The site of the tournament championship was chosen when the brackets were created. Although the game was played at Wise, due to regular season records, Bowie was considered the home team, because they were the number 1 seed in the bracket, while Wise was number 2.
Wise played a complete ballgame. What was most notable was their defensive play, especially in the second half. The Lady Pumas forced turnovers that led to transition baskets. They shut down Bowie in the fourth quarter, holding them to just three points.
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Wise led at halftime 25-17, then 44-30 after three quarters, and won by the final score of 54-33, becoming the 2011 Maryland 4A South Region Champions.
Wise had three players in double figures. Deanna Waters scored 14 and both Khadyah Gibson and Amber Clark scored 10.
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Tonight was the final game in the high school careers for Bowie seniors Keyana Tate (8 points), Linnel Macklin (13 points), and Amara Mbionwu.
Mbionwu, who had consistently scored in double figures this season, was plagued with early foul trouble and was held scoreless.
Afterwards, Macklin explained the key to tonight's game, "Wise really capitalized on our mistakes," she said. "Wise did what they had to do. We [Bowie] never came back strong."
When asked to reflect on this year's team, Macklin and Tate both agreed that the team resembled a family.
"This year's team was a family," Tate said. "I love my teammates. It would have been nice to win."
Macklin elaborated, "We all felt so close to each other," she said. "Everyone supported each other at all times."
Macklin averaged over 20 points per game this season and ranked among the top scorers and three point shooters in the state. When asked to describe her high school legacy, she said, "I worked so hard and never gave up," Macklin said. "I always felt like I was on top."
Both Tate and Macklin have full collegiate basketball scholarships. Tate will play at Delaware State, and Macklin will play at Lafayette College.
