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Lions Edge Mocs

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By BART O'CONNELL, Tribune correspondent

Published: January 18, 2008

ST. LEO - At the center of a chaotic night of basketball in the Marion Bowman Activities Center on Wednesday night was Whitley Washington, a soft-spoken freshman point guard who seemed to age dramatically in the final seconds of Saint Leo's game against Florida Southern.

Following six first-half turnovers, she endured a brutal halftime speech from Coach Chanita Olds, and watched her team go from 13 points ahead in the first half to eight points behind in the second half.

Despite all the turmoil, the ball ended up in her hands on the Lions' final offensive play, trailing by one with 15 seconds left. And though she had more turnovers than shot attempts up to that point, it was her chance to erase what had been a miserable game.

A quick glance at the court showed SLU's top scorers - Amanda Holloway and Melissa Guerero - tightly covered by the Mocs' defense. So, as the shot clock winded down, Washington made her move, racing from the left elbow to the right of the basket, catching the defenders off-guard and flat-footed.

She floated a layup high off the glass and into the net to give Saint Leo the lead with 9.9 seconds left, and the Lions (8-7, 1-3 Sunshine State Conference) weathered a last-second missed layup by the Mocs (9-6, 2-3) to win 63-62. It snapped Saint Leo's 12-game losing streak against SSC opponents.

"I was just thinking I need to get to the basket and either I get a foul or I get a shot," Washington said. "I guess they weren't expecting me to attack the basket."

"That pressure is nothing new to her," Olds said. "So when I saw her attacking the basket, she had the will and determination, and the Florida Southern girl was riding her hip but it opened up and she had a path to the basket. I knew she was going to make it or she was going to get fouled. I just saw it."

With the exception of Guerero (18 points Wednesday) and Holloway, Saint Leo's offense was sputtering. But Wednesday's effort, in which the Lions shot 52.8 percent from the field, is a sign that Saint Leo could end up more competitive than last year's 3-13 conference effort.

Senior Latasha Lawrence had 12 points.

CARITHERS QUITS TEAM: Senior guard Roni Carithers, a regular starter for the past two years, left the team immediately after last Wednesday's game at Tampa, Olds announced this week.

Carithers, who had lost her starting spot to Washington during the University of North Alabama Tournament last month, gave no reason for leaving the team, according to Olds, and the two have not spoken in the days since.

"It was not my decision, I will say that. But we just have to move on. She will not be returning," Olds said. "It's disappointing, because I've known Roni since she was 17. Roni and Melissa are the players I brought with me from Palm Beach Community College, Olds' previous coaching job."

Carithers started nine of the first 13 games this season, was averaging 6.8 points per game and had a team-leading 36 assists and 15 3-pointers.

Correspondent Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@

pop.tampatrib.com.

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