Columbia, MD - Howard Community College's women's basketball team narrowly won their penultimate game of the season on Friday night, as they slipped past Chesapeake 56-53.

The Dragons fought back from an early deficit to take the lead into the half, then survived a wild back-and-forth final frame to secure their 15th win of the season. The victory keeps the Dragons alive for a potential top-four seed in the upcoming Region 20 playoffs.

Friday night's game got off to a disastrous start for the Dragons. Howard didn't score until five minute into the game off a Tamir Whittle (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake) three-pointer. Down 13 points, the Dragons would need to climb out of a massive hole if they wanted a chance at victory. The Dragons slowly chipped away at the lead over the next few minutes, with Whittle making it a one-possession game off a nifty jumper in the paint.
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The tide began to turn in the second quarter. Howard's defense choked the lanes and kept Chesapeake off the board, holding the Skipjacks to just six points. Hannah Chambers (Columbia, MD/Hammond), Dye Boiro Balde (Girona, Spain/IES Vallvera), and Asaani Offer (Annapolis, MD/Catonsville) made their presence felt, allowing the Dragons offense to shine. The Dragons took their first lead early in the period when Zakiyyah Brown (Upper Marlboro, MD/Friendship Collegiate Academy) took a low pass from Jaylah Putman (Jacksonville, FL/Long Reach) and sank a deep three. Putman got her moment to shine when she tipped in a Nicole Forbes (Reston, VA/South Lakes) deflection to extend Howard's lead. Putman continued to be a menace in the paint, harassing Chesapeake defenders and drawing crucial fouls to keep Howard's lead growing. Now with a multi-possession lead, the Dragons finished off their awesome second quarter with a bouncy three-pointer from Mariah Ruth (Lancaster, PA/McCaskey) that put the Dragons up 33-26.

The third quarter has been Howard's achilles heel all season, and their third period woes struck again out of the half. The Dragons' offense slammed on the brakes, scoring just eight points. The defense suffered a blow when Dye Boiro Balde (Girona, Spain/IES Vallvera) fouled out, and Chesapeake tied things up at 41-41 a piece entering the fourth. The Dragons needed a spark, and they got one from Kayden Jeselskis (Baltimore, MD/Rosedale Christian Academy). The sophomore shooter hit a massive three-pointer early in the fourth to retake the lead. Jeselskis hit another three to keep Howard in front, and Putman knocked down another tough layup in traffic. With minutes left, the Dragons got a break when Chesapeake's two best defenders fouled out. Now facing a smaller layup, the Dragons pounced with Asaani Offer (Annapolis, MD/Catonsville) hitting the go-ahead bucket with 1:34 to go. Now in serious foul trouble, the panicking Skipjacks turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions. Howard extended their lead to three, then survived one last Chesapeake shot that sailed wide. BY the skin of their teeth, the Dragons had won.

Jaylah Putman (Jacksonville, FL/Long Reach) was the leading scorer for the Dragons with 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Mariah Ruth (Lancaster, PA/McCaskey) shined off the bench with eight points and four rebounds, while Tamir Whittle (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake) finished with seven points, three rebounds, and four assists. Kayden Jeselskis (Baltimore, MD/Rosedale Christian Academy) and McKenzi Walters (Falls Church, VA/George C. Marshall) both added six points a piece. Assani Offer finished with five points and eleven rebounds, while Hannah Chambers (Columbia, MD/Hammond) snatched up six rebounds. Nicole Forbes (Reston, VA/South Lakes) notched five assists, four rebounds, and three steals, while Dye Boiro Balde (Girona, Spain/IES Vallvera) had two big blocks and four rebounds.

The Dragons wrap up the regular season on Wednesday, February 26 as they host last season's Region 20 runner-up CCBC Catonsville at 5:00 PM.