GIRLS’ ROUNDUP : Fremont Holds Off Wilson, 54-47

Fremont girls’ basketball Coach Mat Taylor kept his word, and then some, during the Pathfinders’ 54-47 victory over Wilson in the first round of the City 3-A playoffs Friday night.

Taylor had vowed to bench point guard Aisha Savage and center Shaterry Danley for the first quarter because of disciplinary reasons. That he did, and also kept them out of the game for most of the second quarter.

“I wasn’t going to put them in until I needed them,” Taylor said.

Wilson closed to within 48-47 with 4:21 left in the game after trailing 48-42 with five minutes to play. But Danley scored three consecutive baskets as the Pathfinders earned their first playoff victory in four years.

Fremont plays Grant, a 62-41 winner over Eagle Rock, in the quartefinals Wednesday.

The Pathfinders fell behind the Mules by as many as eight points, 18-10, and trailed, 20-14, before Taylor inserted Savage and Danley with less than three minutes before halftime.

“We kept even with them for the first quarter and then I thought (Taylor) was going to bring them in at the beginning of the second,” said junior forward Florastine Hillis, who had 13 points and six steals. “It was a relief when they finally came in, I needed a rest.”

Danley responded with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Savage had 11 points seven rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Savage made three three-point baskets, two in the third quarter, to help Fremont tie the score, 28-28, and open a 45-39 lead early in the fourth quarter.

“I think (Taylor) wanted to see know how much patience I had,” Savage said. “I was just dying to get in there and do something.”

Donna Gordon (21), Renee Bayless (14) and Rosie Ramirez (12) combined for Wilson’s 47 points.