Morgan Park comebacks fall short

Morgan Park showed why a team should never give up Saturday afternoon, rallying from a 19-point deficit twice in the third and fourth quarters, before finally falling 65-61 to Missouri power Clyde Miller from St. Louis Saturday afternoon in the Chitown Showdown at Young.

The No. 19 Mustangs (7-4) were able to take advantage of Miller’s sloppy fourth-quarter play, making it a three-point game going into the final possession. After Kendyl Nunn made it 64-61, Miller’s Tiani Walls stood at the free-throw line, shooting two free throws to win the game. After missing the first, Walls calmly made the second for the final margin.

“As a leader and as a captain, I know I have to push harder,’’ said Morgan Park’s Debra Jenkins. “I’m the leader and know if I’m going to push harder, everybody else is going to push harder.  We knew we needed to go harder to in.’’

After only leading by eight, 29-21, at the half, Miller was able to put the pressure on Morgan Park. The Phoenix outscored the Mustangs 22-11 in the quarter, including going on a run 17-9 run to balloon the lead to 57-39 early in the fourth quarter.

However, six consecutive Phoenix turnovers helped Morgan Park cut the lead to 61-54.

Jenkins had 16 points to lead Morgan Park, while Shanity James, an Arkansas-Little Rock recruit, also had 16 for Miller.

Bh’rea Miller scored all 14 of her points in the second half for the Mustangs and Aberlyn Rackley and Braennan Farrar added 12 each for Miller.