The Asbury women’s basketball team concluded their last home game of the season with an 84-58 win over Welch College.
“It was so good to get that win on our home court for the last game in the regular season for our seniors. The atmosphere was just so positive and uplifting, and everybody came with energy. Overall it was a great one,” junior Spencer Harvey said.
From the beginning, the Lady Eagles took command of the scoreboard, with junior Haleigh Releford scoring the game’s first points. She led the Eagles in scoring throughout the game with 19 total points.
“It’s an honor to be the leading scorer, but everybody has a part on the team,” Releford said. “I know there were a lot of people backing me up, like Spencer with 16 points and Trinity with 17. So we all work together.”
Releford had been on a hot streak, but her last few games were a bit of a struggle.
“I had a stretch where I was losing some confidence because I wasn’t playing my best. But then, after talking with Chad, he told me that I just need to go out and have fun, and I play my best when I have fun.”
The women’s record currently sits at 15-10. Despite the rocky start to the season, the women have been performing well in their past few games. Their only loss in February was against Kentucky State last Tuesday.
“Honestly, it’s been very up and down. I feel like in our loss against Kentucky State last week, we kind of all took it a little personally…And I think practice really showed that everybody’s really in it to win, and we’re trying to make a run to a national championship,” Harvey said.
With their season nearly over and nationals approaching, the women took their last opportunity in the Luce to honor their seniors.
“It’s heartwarming to see it all kinda come to an end as they’re playing at the Luce for the last time. Personally, I got a little emotional. It was really sad, but it’s also kind of a happy ending to such a long era,” Harvey said.
The team’s close connection made that time all the more special for them. Harvey says all of them are friends and have spent their time together developing those deep bonds as teammates. As an upperclassman, she has spent most of her college career with the girls about to graduate.
“I’ve seen people go through injuries and other things like that, and knowing them personally you just see what people go through,” Harvey said.
One of the seniors who has had an arduous journey is Cheyenne Fullwood, who has battled with injuries since her sophomore year. Her knee issues forced her to sit out that season until she could compete the following winter. She came back in her junior year on JV just to get some playing time when he was hit by yet another injury.
“I didn’t know what had happened until my trainer, Kelsey, explained to me that I tore my Achilles. I was super sad because that meant that my junior season was over. I had surgery 5 days later and then started my recovery,” Fullwood said.
The journey to recovery has been a difficult road for Fullwood that took her out of the immediate action of the game.
“It definitely gave me a different perspective because I was no longer playing but watching. It allowed me to see the bigger picture of basketball; how our team is truly a family,” Fullwood said, “I often overlook basketball and look at it as something I do rather than something I’m blessed to be able to do.”
The recent revival that broke out on campus did have a profound impact on Fullwood that she partly credits for her healing needed for the game.
“One night during revival, a group of people came and prayed healing over me. Since that day I have not had any pain or discomfort, nor have I gone to do treatment. God has healed me and I am forever grateful to Him,” Fullwood said.
During the game on Saturday, the cheers for the returning player were deafening from both teammates and family. Not only was she able to be on the court for a while but she was also able to put up 7 points for the Eagles.
“Saturday was amazing. I was so thankful God has allowed me to be able to play the game I love with the people I love; without pain as well. I was a little worried about the pressure of doing well for the game but I came to the realization that if God wants me to do well then I will,” Fullwood said.
Now, Fullwood and the Eagles are continuing onto their post season as they head to Alice Lloyd in early March.