Girls Basketball: Africentric celebrates another trip to regional final
Tuesday, March 6, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Africentric head coach Janicia Anderson guided the Nubians to a 61-50 regional semifinal win over Cincinnati Country Day Mar. 6 at Springfield. Photo: Kevin Lam
The muffled sound of music turned loud and then muffled again as Africentric girls basketball coach Janicia Anderson walked out of the locker room postgame on March 6.
The Nubians had plenty to celebrate after a 61-50 win over Cincinnati Country Day in a Division III regional semifinal. But there is still plenty of work left to do.
“There’s always room to improve,” Anderson said. “I thought in the third and fourth quarters, we took our foot off the gas a little bit. We allowed them to get open and get good shots. We made some silly fouls. We knew coming in they were going to fight until the end – we just have to work on finishing. We got a little too comfortable, which I didn’t like.
“We’re going to celebrate tonight and let them enjoy it. (It’s a) goldfish mentality – we gotta get ready for the next one.”
Africentric’s Kamryn Grant, who was on the sideline for the Nubians’ state championship last season with an injury, drives to the basket during play at Springfield Mar. 6. Photo: Kevin Lam
The next one is Kettering Alter for a regional title on March 9 at 1 p.m. back at Springfield. The Nubians seek their 13th trip to the state tournament.
Kamryn Grant recognizes the work ahead, but she couldn’t help enjoying the moment. A torn ACL kept her on the sideline last year for the Nubians’ eighth state championship.
“For me personally, it feels good to know that I’m here at the regional semis and I’m about to go to the regional finals,” said Grant with a big grin on her face and three pieces of pizza in her hand. “I wasn’t here last year to participate with my team. So overall, it’s just a really good feeling to help carry my team. I’m on the road to states … it feels good.”
Grant did a little bit of everything for the sixth-ranked Nubians, who improved to 25-2 overall. She went for 15 points, 10 rebounds, five blocked shots and four assists.
Samairah Thompson also had 15 points and added eight rebounds and Ashtan Winfrey had 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Grant and Thompson had six points each and Winfrey four in a 24-10 second quarter that inflated the Nubians’ lead to 39-21 at the break. Africentric led by as many as 20 in the second quarter and 24 early in the third.
Africentric’s Samairah Thompson works against the Country Day defense during the Nubians’ regional semifinal win at Springfield Mar. 6. Photo: Kevin Lam
But Elizabeth Zimmerman caught fire for the Nighthawks, scoring 17 of her game-high 27 points in the second half. She added three rebounds and three steals, helping Country Day get as close as 10 on a couple of occasions late in the fourth quarter.
“We just kind of got our heads too big,” Grant said. “Overall, our team kind of dwindles down once they see we got it, but we should keep our energy up. But it’s also a good feeling to have, knowing that we can relax a little and not stress.”
The Nubians assisted 16 times on 25 field goals overall.
Jeniya Bowers had three assists and three rebounds, Shaunie Little had three assists, Natiah Nelson had five rebounds and Jae’Veyonna Brown had three boards for Africentric, which had 40 rebounds to Country Day’s 28.
Megan Zimmerman had 13 points, nine rebounds and five steals and Piper Farris had eight rebounds and three assists for the Nighthawks, who finished 21-5.
“We knew they were going to play hard,” Anderson said. “Those Zimmerman sisters always (have) their foot on the gas. We just wanted to impose our will, but they never let us get the best of them. Hats off to them for just fighting.”
Cincinnati Country Day’s Elizabeth Zimmerman topped all scorers with 27 points in the Nighthawks’ loss to Africentric at Springfield Mar. 6. Photo: Kevin Lam