On Tuesday 3, 2021, The Judson Lady Rockets (25-1) faced off against the Reagan Rattlers (22-3) at the Northside Gym located on the Farris Athletic Complex. 

To begin the game, the Rattlers started off strong as they gained a 11-4 lead 1:15 left in the game. The Rattlers aggressive defense was too much for the Rockets as the first quarter ended with the Rockets trailing 12-4. 

To start the second quarter, mental mistakes cost the Rockets a chance at a comeback as another turnover led to another score for the Rattlers. Senior Kierra Sanderlin, trying to bring her team back in the game,  got a bump steal and a fast-break layup to cap off a 6-point scoring run. The Rockets trailed 10-14 with 5:20 left in the second. Sanderlin powered through to grab her own rebound and score the putback basket to bring the game within two. A foul underneath the basket for the Rattlers set them up to make two free throws and increase their lead to 18-25 after Judson made multiple mistakes on both sides of the floor.

To start the third quarter, Judson started to pick up the pace and got more aggressive as they got multiple steals and easy layups at the basket to shorten the lead to one. With 3:22 left in the third quarter, the Rockets were only trailing 26-27 and a beautiful step-back three from Sanderlin gave the Rockets their first lead of the game as they were now up 29-28 with two minutes left in the third. Sanderlin came up big time for the Rockets as she hit another three to end the third quarter as the Rockets found themselves in a 38-33 lead. 

To begin the fourth quarter, the Rockets continued their aggressive defense and continued to increase their lead with each steal they got. As the Rattlers tried their best to fight back, the Rockets found themselves up 42-35 with 6:25 left in the fourth. The Rattlers continued to fight back as they got multiple foul calls underneath the rim which gave them easy buckets late in the fourth quarter. After a back and forth sequence between the teams, the Rockets were in a 42-40 lead with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter. Another and-one basket by the Rattlers set them up to hit both free throws and tie the game at 44-44 apiece. With 31.8 seconds left in the game, the Rattlers put up their third open layup in a row to put them up 48-46. Sanderlin had a clutch layup at the end of the game to send both teams into overtime as they were now tied 48-48.

To begin overtime, both teams continued to go back and forth but failed to capitalize on the other’s mistakes as both teams remained tied at 52-52 with 1:12 left in overtime. A steal by Sanderlin set up an easy lay-up in transition as the Rockets took a 54-52 lead with 31.1 second left. As the Rattlers turned the ball over, a foul was called, which gave the Rockets a free throw to increase the lead to three. The Rattlers intentionally fouled Sanderlin as she nailed both free throws to ice the game. With another big-time performance by Kierra Sanderlin, the Judson Rockets defeated the Reagan Rattlers 58-52. 

The Judson Rockets (26-1) will face Houston Cypress Creek (31-0) later this week.

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