Former High School Teammates Johnson And Vilain Pace Prince George's Women's Basketball In Loss

NORTH EAST, Md. – Prince George's Community College battled Cecil College tough and stayed close into the second in a 60-47 loss to Cecil College in women's basketball action.

Former high school teammates Nehemie Vilain (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) and Quatazia Johnson (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) paced the Owls with a combined 27 points and 18 rebounds.

Vilain posted 15 points and matched her career high with nine rebounds to narrowly miss her first collegiate double-double. The freshman also scored 15 points against Northern Virginia Community College on December 4 for her second-highest scoring output of the season. She also had nine boards against Anne Arundel Community College on January 18. It marked the fifth time this season she has hauled in at least five caroms.

Johnson registered 12 points and nine rebounds to also narrowly miss her first career double-double. Johnson reached double figures for the first time in seven games and the fourth time this season. She also had nine boards against the College of Southern Maryland on January 4 and has six games with at least five boards.

In the first quarter with Cecil holding a 17-12 lead with 2:25 left, Prince George's closed the stanza on an 5-1 run to cut the margin to 18-17. Marisse Chop (Cameroon/PST Balfort) fueled the run with half of the points.

The Owls took the lead for the second time on the evening in the second quarter after two freebies by Vilain to take a 22-20 edge. The Seahawks then scored the next eight points to grab a 28-22 lead before the Largo team scored the final five points to end the second quarter exactly like the first trailing by one. Gia Thomas (Riverdale, Md./Fairmont Heights)  made two free throws, Johnson converted 1 of 2 at the line before Vilain hit a jumper to cut the margin to 28-27 going into the locker room.

Vilain started the scoring in the second half with a triple for a 30-28 edge and then Misty Harewood (Oxon Hills, Md./Potomac) made a jumper for a 3-point edge. After Cecil tied the game at 32, Thomas gave the Largo team the lead for the last time after making the front end of two free throws at 6:38 for a 33-32 edge. The Seahawks then went on a 12-5 run to end the third quarter and a 15-8 fourth quarter to earn the win.

Harewood added seven points and six rebounds in the loss.

Prince George's returns to Novak Field House to start its final homestand of the regular season against Chesapeake College on Friday. Game time is 5 p.m.