BY HANNA MOULDER
Karnishia Garrett injured her knee just as the Lady Pirates tied the game, but refused to sit on the bench as the team went into overtime. With just 1.6 seconds left, she spun around and placed a hook shot perfectly into the basket. Sheer pandemonium broke out in the Hartsell Arena as the No. 1 team in the nation preserved their 22-game winning streak 72-70 over Northwest Florida Jan. 22.
“We’re very fortunate to have the mentality we do about our games,” Coach Chanda Rigby said. “We have the will to win, and we don’t give up.”
With just 5.2 seconds left in the regulation game, and Northwest Florida. In the lead 63 to 60, freshman Darnisha Hamilton came off the bench and shot a 3 pointer to send the game into overtime.
Northwest Florida (17-4, 2-3) and Pensacola (22-0, 5,0) battled it out in a close second half after the Lady Pirates trailed 20-7 at one point in the first half.
FCCAA player of the week, Jessica Merritt, led the team with 24 points.
The Lady Pirates play Tallahassee Jan. 25 and have another home game Jan. 29 against Chipola.