Sumter – Heathwood Hall’s goal of winning a second straight SCISA AAAA girls basketball state championship was in great jeopardy on Wednesday at Sumer Civic Center. Lauren Jacobs didn’t allow that to happen though.
The junior scored 45 points, posting 10 of the Highlanders’ 13 fourth-quarter points to force overtime against First Baptist. She then scored Heathwood’s first seven points in overtime, including a 3-poitner that gave it the lead for good in a 66-61 state tournament quarterfinal win on Wednesday.
The Highlanders, who improved to 22-3 on the season, will play Northwood for the state title once again on Friday at 6 p.m. at Sumter Civic Center. The Chargers advanced to the championship game with a 57-41 victory over Hammond.
First Baptist took a 42-38 lead into the final stanza against top-ranked Heathwood. Obviously a force throughout the game, Jacobs kept attacking the Hurricanes defense even though she was its focal point.
“She's such a special player,” said Heathwood head coach Brionna Zimmerman. “She wanted this game for her teammates. She willed us to the win. You can see the heart, you can see the emotion in her face, and her teammates thrive on it.
“It's such a blessing for our team to have someone that is that passionate, that motivated to lead us.”
“We were jumping, trapping, everything we could possibly do (to stop Jacobs),” said First Baptist head coach Presley Singleton. “I told the girls we probably played our best game of the year today. I'm so proud of them. They did everything we worked on, everything we talked about game-plan wise they executed,”
Heathwood tied the game for the first time in the fourth quarter at 47-47 on a free throw by Shamarie Hayes with 1:29 remaining in the game. The teams traded two buckets apiece, the final one a layup by Jacobs on which she was fouled with 34 seconds left. She missed it, leaving the score at 51-51.
First Baptist got the final shot of regulation, but it was short, forcing overtime.
The Hurricanes, who finished with a 23-10 record, got two free throws from Gabby Moore to open the scoring in the 4-minute overtime. After Jacobs hit two free throws, Yannah Seaberry drained a 3-point shot to give the Hurricanes a 56-53 lead with 2:51 to go.
Jacobs answered with a layup, and after a First Baptist turnover, she connected on a trey to make it 58-56 with 1:54 left, giving the Highlanders the lead for good.
SaBreya Morisanto hit five of six free throws in the final minute of the game to secure the win. Morisanto finished with 10 ponits.
“We played the schedule we played going to Myrtle beach to play (defending SCHSL AAA state champion) Camden because we needed to be battle-tested,” Zimmerman said. “ I think we had an opportunity to learn how to fight in those moments we were not ahead. We showed poise in those high-stress moments. We let it get away from us a little bit, but we kind of locked back in. We used each other, leaned on each other and we were able to pull it out.”
Seaberry led First Baptist with 21 points. Ava Rush had 18, while Moore and Maddy Hawes both had nine.
“We got tight,” Singleton said of the ending. “It would have been a big upset. We just didn't finish it. We didn't handle the moment.”
There wasn’t too much drama between Northwood and Hammond. The Chargers bolted out to a 12-3 lead after one quarter and led 28-17 at halftime. They blew the game completely open in the third quarter, outscoring the Skyhawks 23-10.
Virginia Byrd led Northwood, which improved to 26-2, with 13 points. Alyvia Tocco followed with nine points, while Morgan James and Alaya Birch both had eight. Ashton Wyndham added six.
Samira Khalil led 17-6 Hammond with 19 points. AK Adams had 10, and Hailey Toman had six.
“We definitely struggled,” said Hammond head coach Roshan Myers. “We didn't get a lot of deep balls and we turned the ball over a lot tonight. It's hard to give your team an opportunity to score when your turn the ball over. Give credit to Northwood. They kept things busy, and they played the passing lanes well.”
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