Double gut check/ Doherty guard fights sickness, Heritage

LITTLETON - Doherty point guard Val Willhoit got sick twice Tuesday. The first time was because of the stomach flu. The second occurred early in the second quarter with her team leading by four points over No. 9 Heritage (2-3).

She couldn't do anything about the flu, but Willhoit did something about her team's sluggish performance.

The 5-foot-11 senior connected on three 3-point shots in the decisive second quarter, leading Doherty (4-0) to a 71-57 win over Heritage.

"It was a closer game than we had played in our last three games," Willhoit said. "I was upset that it was so close in the second quarter and I just wanted to make a run."

Willhoit and Doherty did just that. Leading 12-8 after the first quarter, Willhoit's long-distance shooting helped Doherty take a 33- 20 lead at halftime.

Doherty coach Phil Johnson was impressed with his point guard's shooting.

"She has the potential to be a great shooter and tonight she was just in the flow," Johnson said.

In the third quarter, Doherty used its transition offense to extend its lead to 47-31 with 3 minutes remaining but Heritage took advantage of sloppy ball handling and some 3-point shooting of its own to cut the lead to 53-42.

Another 3-pointer by Heritage's Dani Fisher cut the deficit to 55- 48 with 6 minutes remaining. However, Doherty sank all of its fourth- quarter free throws, including four down the stretch by Willhoit, to ice the game.

Despite winning, Doherty's leading scorer, Ambrosia Anderson, wasn't impressed.

"It was kind of up and down. In the third quarter we started missing some shots and they have a lot of good shooters," she said. "But I knew we would come back."

Johnson, on the other hand, was impressed with the nonleague victory.

"It was a good team win. They (the games) are all big, especially against a ranked team on its home floor," Johnson said.

Doherty jumped out to its first-quarter lead, thanks to eight points from Anderson who finished with a game-high 26 points.

Willhoit added 15 points and three steals for Doherty.

Kelly Wright was Heritage's top scorer with 18 points, hitting three 3-point shots of her own.

- Kurt Eilmes may be reached at 636-0250 or keilmes@gazette.com

Girls basketball

Doherty 71

Heritage 57

HIGHLIGHT: Doherty's Val Willhoit made three 3-pointers during a decisive run that turned the game in Doherty's favor.

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