From STAFF REPORTS

FORT VALLEY – The Georgia Southwestern State University women’s basketball team is now 2-1 after defeating Fort Valley State (FVSU) Friday night and Albany State University (ASU) Saturday night during the PBC/SIAC Challenge inside the HPE Basketball Arena in Fort Valley.
On Friday night the Lady ‘Canes faced the Lady Wildcats and claimed their first win of the season in a 69-53 victory while FVSU took their first loss to drop to 0-1 overall.
Fort Valley made the first basket and GSW made the next three to lead 7-2 three minutes in. By the 2:44 mark in the first quarter, the Lady ‘Canes had pulled ahead to lead by 11. GSW finished the first quarter up 19-10.
FVSU made the first two baskets in the second quarter and outscored GSW by one point, but the Lady ‘Canes kept the lead heading into halftime with a score of 30-22.
The Lady ‘Canes went on a nine-point streak after FVSU made the first basket of the second half. Brittany Grant started it off with a jump shot before Gabby Figgers put in a three-pointer, followed by Shanya Jones with a layup. Va’Queshia Hall finished it off with two free throws to lead 30-24 with seven minutes left in the third.
Kris Beckham finished the third quarter with a three-pointer to give GSW an 18 point lead heading into the final ten minutes.
FVSU outshot GSW in the fourth 20-16 but the Lady ‘Canes 23 points from the third quarter kept them alive to take the 16-point win.
Aleah Holden recorded the season’s first double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman, Kya Cochran, scored 10 points and picked up four rebounds. Chanice Whitton scored nine points and Grant scored eight.
The following day, the hit the court to take on ASU in a match-up that would end in an overtime showdown.
Albany State led 5-0 in the first two minutes of the game before Hall put in a jumper and Owens made a free throw to put GSW on the board.
ASU quickly staged their comeback before Holden started a streak for GSW with two jump shots, followed by Grant with two three-pointers to give the Lady ‘Canes a four-point lead. GSW took a 17-13 lead into the second quarter.
Most of the second quarter had gaps of scoreless minutes as both teams stepped up their defensive play. GSW outscored Albany State 12-8 to head into halftime leading 29-21.
In the third frame, the Lady ‘Canes brought the lead back up to 11 points before the Golden Rams went on a nine-point streak to come within two. Albany State was down by one point three times in three minutes and took the lead by one point with 28 seconds left.
Feeling the pressure, Jones made a free throw to tie the game 55-55 with 17 seconds left and send the match into overtime.
Owens made an early lay-up to take the lead before Albany made a free throw to come within one point. Whitton made two free throws to extend GSW’s lead to three points, but ASU added a layup, a jump shot, and a free throw to take a two-point lead with 1:59 left in overtime.
Owens made a free throw and Figgers put in a three-pointer to take the lead back with 45 seconds left and Jones secured the win with a free throw to take the 64-61 victory.
Owens recorded a double-double, her first of the season, by scoring 12 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Holden scored nine points and picked up seven rebounds. Hall and Grant both scored eight points.
GSW hit the road Nov. 21, heading for Brunswick to play Coastal Georgia. The results of this contest were not available at press time.