Fannisha Price sized up her competition as she stepped on the floor. Her task was to go toe to toe with Christ the King forward Ariel Edwards, who is headed to Penn State next season.
“When I first came into the game I saw she was a lot taller than me and she moves different,” Price said. “Once I heard she was a senior I had to play hard because I am a sophomore.”
Then her team succumbed to the Royals pressure. The game appeared headed for a rout after the first quarter before Price asserted herself, something she hasn’t always done against talented frontlines this season.
“We were down and I felt like I had to fight back,” she said.
Price scored nine of her 13 points in the second quarter to get South Shore back into the game. Host Christ the King was still ultimately too much, but the Vikings held their own the rest of the way in a 59-42 loss at the New York Post CHSAA vs. PSAL Girls Basketball Invitational Sunday night.
“The last few games she hasn’t made her presence felt,” senior Taylor Lloyd said. “This game she showed up.”
So did the Viking after the Royals, who are known for fast starts, ripped of a 20-2 first quarter. South Shore, the PSAL city finalist last season, turned it over the countless times against the CK press. It led to transition baskets the other way. Ariel Edwards scored 15 points, Bria Smith had 13 and Nia Oden added 12 for the Royals (10-3). Jenice Winter had eight and Lloyd seven for South Shore (10-3).
“The first quarter was a little bit of shell shock,” South Shore coach Anwar Gladden said. “I don’t know what the word is. We just didn’t take care of the ball and those turnovers led to easy baskets for them. “
The Vikings rallied, though, behind Price. They trailed 32-15 at the half and outscored Christ the King, 40-39, after the first quarter. They trimmed the lead to 48-35 on a Price putback with 5:29 left in the game. South Shore has had its struggles with top CHSAA teams with lopsided losses to Mary Louis and Bishop Ford, but it never stopped competing and being physical with CK in this one.
“We were trying to wear them out,” Lloyd said. “South Shore is known for their aggressiveness.”
Gladden hopes his team’s performance over the final three quarters and Price stepping up is a preview of what is to come with league games against Francis Lewis and Midwood upcoming.
“She hung in there,” he said of Price. “She fought. She banged for us inside. Hopefully she can carry that throughout the season.”
