Recap: Natasha Cloud scores season-high as Team Hillmon hangs on against Team Bell

But, four points in the final 60 seconds from guard Allisha Gray spoiled the comeback bid as Team Hillmon held on for an 84-81 verdict in the first game of the doubleheader to close Week Four.

The win allowed Team Hillmon to finish the penultimate week of the season with a 2-1 record, while Team Bell dipped to 1-2.

Guard Natasha Cloud paced three Team Hillmon players in double figures with a season-high 20 points to secure MVP 1 honors for the second time this season. Cloud shot 6-for-14 from the field, including a 3-of-5 effort from three-point range, while converting five of her six free throws to collect 538 leaderboard points.

Gray, meanwhile, secured the MVP 2 distinction after finishing with 468 leaderboard points in the victory. The former South Carolina standout scored 18 points and dished out four assists.

Forward Naz Hillmon completed the MVP trio for her squad on the strength of 16 points with six rebounds. The Michigan alum shot 6-of-10 from the field and moved into second place on the leaderboard after fashioning 425 points.

Forward Isabelle Harrison led three Team Bell players in double figures with a game-high 21 points, making 10-of-20 field goal attempts along with grabbing six rebounds. Guards Layshia Clarendon and Lexie Hull chipped in 19 and 15 points, respectively.

KEY MOMENT

After Team Bell battled back from a 19-point second half deficit to tie the score at 79-all, Team Hillmon claimed a two-point lead with a layup by Gray with 1:00 remaining. Hillmon drew a foul on the ensuing possession and made one of her two free throws with 34.1 seconds left, giving her squad a three-point edge. Harrison trimmed the margin to 82-81 before Gray sank two free throws to regain the three-point cushion with 16.2 ticks remaining.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Hillmon stands second in the league standings ahead of Saturday night’s Week Four finale between Team Smith and Team Sims, while Gray elevated her ranking by four spots.

GAME NOTES

• Team Hillmon and Team Bell combined to make 16 three-pointers in Saturday’s opener, running the league’s season total to 345 triples through 23 games … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every three-pointer made during the season as part of its ‘Trees for Threes’ initiative.

• Team Hillmon initiated a challenge of an offensive foul against Hillmon with 6:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, which was unsuccessful … Team Bell also issued a challenge of a foul called against forward Jessica Kuster with 1:00 left in regulation, which was successful.

• Teams are now 13-for-30 (.433) in captain’s challenges through 23 games this season.

• Harrison has registered 16 consecutive double-digit scoring efforts following her 21-point performance on Saturday night … Harrison also notched the 14th 20-point game of her Athletes Unlimited career, including the eighth this season.

• Harrison also became the second player in Athletes Unlimited Basketball history to reach 10,000 career leaderboard points after her 186 points against Team Hillmon on Saturday … Harrison stands second on the career leaderboard with 10,044 points.

• Cloud posted her third double-digit scoring effort in the last four games with her season-high 20 points on Saturday … It also marked Cloud’s ninth game with 10 or more points this season in 12 appearances.

• Hillmon has a streak of nine double-digit scoring outings in a row after recording 16 points on Saturday … Hillmon was 6-of-10 from the field and converted three of her five free throws in the victory.

• Gray owns a four-game double-digit scoring streak after producing 18 points on Saturday … It is also her 11th game with 10 or more points this season.

• Clarendon reached double figures in scoring for the fifth time this year with their 19 points against Team Hillmon, shooting 8-for-10 from the field, including a 2-of-2 effort from three-point range … Two of the five instances have been against Team Hillmon.

• Guard Kierstan Bell dished out a season-high 10 assists in her Week Four finale on Saturday … It is the second time she has registered seven or more assists this season after a seven-assist effort against Team Hillmon on March 1.

• Hull possesses three straight double-digit scoring games following her 15 points on Saturday … Hull has fashioned seven games with 10 or more points in her last nine outings.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Natasha Cloud (Team Hillmon, +90)
• #2 – Allisha Gray (Team Hillmon, +60)
• #3 – Naz Hillmon (Team Hillmon, +30)