Joe T. Robinson's Alex Rouse scored the final 10 points of the third quarter and 9 of the final 10 points in the fourth as the Lady Senators escaped with a 61-57 home victory over eStem on Tuesday night.
The victory kept Robinson (16-6, 10-3 4A-5) within three games of first-place Pulaski Academy while eStem (12-15, 7-7) fell further behind the top three teams in conference play.
Rouse had a game-high 35 points, hitting a wide variety of shots from the field while making 15 of 16 free throws.
"Alex did step up and help us get the victory," Robinson Coach Ahmann Love said. "Tonight we gambled too much and that bit us really well. We had to fight tooth and nail to try to get back."
Love said the Lady Senators weren't sharp on offense, but part of that was because of eStem's defense.
"That is a real good team, and they did a great job of getting in our way tonight," Love said.
The Lady Senators trailed 54-53 with 2:19 left when Rouse hit two free throws. Her field goal with 1:49 remaining put Robinson ahead for good at 55-54. Two more free throws expanded the lead to 57-54, but two free throws from eStem's Alexandria Johnson trimmed the lead to one.
Jasmine Daniels made one of two free throws for a 58-56 Robinson lead. A field goal and one of two free throws from Rouse gave the Lady Senators a 61-56 advantage with 31 seconds left.
A free throw from eStem's Blake Green with 25.8 left set the final margin as Robinson ran out the clock.
"We have to get back in the lab and start working on our trust and cross this bridge," Love said. "We have to go [to Wynne] which means a long ride then getting our legs ready and take care of a team that is right behind us in the standings."
In addition to Rouse's 35 points, Kentle chipped in with 15.
Johnson led eStem with 27 points and Green added 10.
BOYS
JOE T. ROBINSON 66, eSTEM 52
Trailing by two points at the half, the Senators (14-9, 8-5 4A-5) came alive in the final two quarters to come away with a victory over the Mets (21-10, 10-4)
The Senators had a six-point lead after three quarters. They scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to take control and carry a 58-43 lead with 3:57 remaining in the game.
Mekhi Perkins led the Senators with 20 points, while Donovan Young had 18. Christian Cross added 16 and Jaydan Bush scored 10.
Jake Sanders led the Mets with 18.
Sports on 02/12/2020