Mackenzie Tillman said North Little Rock Coach Daryl Fimple always wanted her to shoot more three-pointers, but it was a message somewhat ignored.
Tuesday night, Tillman showed off that skill, hitting four while scoring 20 points to lead Team Green, coached by Little Rock Central Coach Michael Green, to a 67-58 overtime victory over Team Howard, coached by Little Rock Parkview Coach Lahoma Howard, in the annual All-Metro Classic girls basketball game at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock.
"I guess I held myself back,'' said Tillman, who was named MVP for her team.
Team Green trailed 23-7 after one quarter, due in large part to a 3-of-17 shooting start that included more than a handful of ugly three-point attempts. By halftime, it was a 35-29 lead for Team Howard.
Team Green tied it at 41-41 late in the third and led 45-41 going into the final quarter.
That lead didn't last long. A 13-2 run by Team Howard made it 54-48 with less than four minutes left, but Tillman scored all of Team Green's points in a 7-2 run that sent the game into overtime.
In the extra period, Pulaski Academy's Katie Swanson made a three-pointer, then the Lady Bruins' Morgan Wallace hit a layup to open the overtime. Mount St. Mary's Lizzie Allgood added a basket to help put the game away.
Allgood scored 17 and Swanson contributed 12 for the winners.
"I knew we were going to come back and win,'' Tillman said.
Joe T. Robinson's Asia Anderson was named MVP for Team Howard. Known more for track, Anderson, the Class 1A-4A heptathlon runner-up, led the team with 15 points.
"I'm surprised,'' said Anderson, who interrupted her basketball season to help Robinson win the girls Class 1A-4A indoor state title last month. "I was just coming out here to have fun in my last basketball game. Now it's time for track."
Parkview's Morgan Brady and Sydni Williams scored 13 each for Team Howard.
TEAM GREEN (67)
Kennedi Allen (Central) 2 0-0 6, Jada Perry (Central) 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Tillman (NLR) 8 0-0 20, Mareva Ford (NLR) 1 0-0 2, Olivia Saddler (NLR) 0 1-2 1, Lizzie Allgood (Mount St. Mary) 7 1-3 17, Morgan Wallace (Pulaski Academy) 1 5-7 7, Katie Swanson (Pulaski Academy) 4 0-0 12, Brooke Wiggins (Pulaski Academy) 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 7-12 67.
TEAM HOWARD (58)
Morgan Brady (Parkview) 5 0-0 13, Sydni Williams (Parkview) 3 7-7 13, Jakalen Jones (Parkview) 1 1-2 3, Kortni Junior (Parkview) 1 0-0 2, Asia Anderson (Robinson) 7 0-0 15, Alexis Burns (Hall) 3 0-0 6, Lauren Peoples (CAC) 1 0-0 3, Carly Clement (eStem) 1 0-0 3. Totals 22 8-9 58.
Green 7 22 16 11 11 -- 67
Howard 23 12 6 15 2 -- 58
Three-point goals -- Green 12 (Swanson 4, Tillman 4, Allen 2, Allgood 2); Howard 6 (Brady 3, Anderson, Peoples, Clement). Team fouls -- Green 6; Howard 9.
Sports on 03/15/2017