Forest Park girls' basketball captures regular season Cardinal title

They trusted in each other from the start. Even when the rest of the girls’ basketball world dismissed them as too young and inexperienced to be relevant, the Forest Park Bruins believed they could become champions.

It didn’t matter that they took the floor night after night without a Division I-bound senior to lead them. The Bruins had something that nobody else noticed.

They had chemistry and, most importantly, they had heart.

“We were really underestimated,” sophomore guard Lexi Carpenter said. “As the season went on, our confidence has gone up. We’re a really unselfish team and I think that gets us very far.”

Not once this season did the Bruins concern themselves with scoring averages or anyone else’s expectations. All they focused on was learning and winning, until they finally captured the Cardinal
District’s regular season championship with Thursday’s 73-57 victory at Osbourn Park.

“We’d rather do things now than wait for later,” freshman point guard Breyana Mason said. “We wanted to reach our goal of being number one in the district and making it to regionals. We’re very proud of ourselves.”

By embracing the underdog role and relying heavily on a help-oriented, full-court defense, the Bruins (14-4, 9-0) maintained the program’s storied tradition by sweeping both of their toughest district rivals — Osbourn Park and Potomac.

They have now won nine consecutive games and are guaranteed a first-round home game in the Northwest Region Tournament.

“We said earlier in the year, when we started putting some wins together, that we never wanted one of those to be our best win,” Forest Park coach Rebecca Tillett said. “We always want something more.”

The Bruins still have more they want to achieve, but Thursday’s triumph verified the faith they’ve established in their collective talent.

Carpenter and Mason — the precocious backcourt combination affectionately known as Salt and Pepper — reveled in the thrill of pressure situations and first-year starter TiChina Mitchell emerged as a trusted captain and scoring leader.

Other role players — most notably Shakeerah Sykes, Samoane Brown, Emma Kruse, Alisa Brown, Ashley Hubred and Chanel Shands — have also made significant contributions along the way as
Forest Park pursues it’s eighth consecutive Group AAA state tournament berth.

Despite having to wait two extra days to face OP because of Tuesday’s snow, the Bruins played like a team that is ready for the postseason.

Mitchell scored a game-high 17 points — her seventh straight double-figure performance — while Mason and Carpenter finished with 15 points each.

“We had one of our best practices of the year on Monday, so to have to wait to play, I was a little concerned about that,” Tillett said. “But the way we came out alleviated my concerns.”

The way the Bruins finished was inspiring as well because Osbourn Park (13-4, 7-2) nearly rallied from a 20-point, third-quarter deficit.

Forwards Destiny Shearin and Destiny White initiated the comeback by scoring 16 points each and when guard Alexis Carter hit a 3-pointer from the left baseline with 3 minutes 30 seconds remaining the
Yellow Jackets were within a point at, 56-55.

But the Bruins clamped down after that and held OP to a pair of free throws the rest of the way.

“We knew we had to keep our composure because OP is a very good team,” Carpenter said. “When they made a run, we kept our heads in it and fought back.”

Mason scored nine of her 15 points in the fourth quarter to help preserve the win and the Bruins also benefitted from an intentional foul and two technical fouls on the Yellow Jackets’ bench.

“OP’s a fantastic team and to withstand that incredible run that they made speaks to what these kids believe in and how hard they work together,” Tillett said.

Mason converted seven of eight foul shots in the final three minutes and Carpenter was five for six from the line down the stretch.

“We knew we were going to have to face adversity. We just rallied together and stuck with each other to get out of that slump we were in,” Mason said. “I’m very thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given. It’s very exciting. I’ve never really been a part of something that’s meant so much to so many people.”

FOREST PARK 73,
OSBOURN PARK 57

FOREST PARK (14-4, 9-0)

Mason 3 8-12 15, Carpenter 3 7-10 15, Kruse 3 0-0 8, A. Brown 2 0-0 5, S. Brown 4 0-0 8, Mitchell 8 1-3 17, Sykes 1 2-5 4. Totals 24 18-30 73.

OSBOURN PARK (13-4, 7-2)

Lowman 0 0-0 0, Hamner 4 0-1 8, Carter 3 2-2 8, Morris 0 0-0 0, White 6 1-3 16, Shearin 5 6-6 16, Tassa 1 3-3 5, Gordon 1 2-2 4. Totals 20 14-17 57.

3-point goals: Forest Park 6 (Carpenter 2, Kruse 2, Mason, A. Brown); OP 3 (White 3).