Grant Coach Resigns on Sour Note After Lancers Blow 4th-Quarter Lead

The Grant High girls’ basketball team collapsed during the fourth quarter Wednesday night and lost to visiting Garfield, 42-39, in a City Section 3-A Division playoff game. The Lancers had led, 37-28, after three quarters.

But the real stunner came after the game, when Susan Sweet, the Lancer coach for seven seasons, told her players that she was resigning because of differences with the school’s administration.

“There were so many tears,” Sweet said. “For us to be way ahead and then blow it like that was not the way I would have liked it to end.”

Deana Duran led Garfield with 13 points and 10 rebounds and teammate Chris Garcia scored nine points. Nicole Baynes had 12 points, 13 rebounds and eight steals for Grant, and Ankica Bilaver added nine points and 10 rebounds.

Sweet coached the Lancers (12-4) to four East Valley League championships. They have a 15-game league winning streak dating to 1990.

Sweet said she made her decision to quit last Tuesday, after a girls’ game was canceled so the boys could play a makeup game.