Lady Falcons stun White County

FLOWERY BRANCH - Angela Middleton left Southwest DeKalb High School two years ago to make history.

She and the Flowery Branch girls basketball team did just that Wednesday in the opening round of the Region 7-AAA Tournament at the Flowery Branch gym.

Junior Beth Adcock sank two free throws with 15 seconds left and then freshman Courtney Newton hit two more with 6 seconds left to give the Lady Falcons a 56-52 win over White County.

The win also gave the Lady Falcons (17-7) a berth in next week's state tournament, the first for the basketball program.

"When you have a chance to make history, it's cool," Middleton said. "This was a huge win for the program. I can't tell you how proud I am of the girls."

White County (13-12) behind the school's all-time leading scorer and senior D.J. Galbiati, looked to have the game in control leading 52-48 with 1:31 left.

But a wild sequence over the next minute saw the Lady Warriors miss two shots and foul Adcock to set up the game-winning free throws.

Galbiati, however, had a chance to tie the game but missed the front end of a one-and-one with 8 seconds left and then fouled out sending Newton to the line to seal the game.

"She's devastated," White County coach Laurie Burkett said. "We had things going our way but let them back in the game."

Burkett said she was planning for the final seconds and overtime as Galbiati went to the line.

"All I was thinking about was what defense we would play after she made them," Burkett said. "It's just one of those things that she missed it. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else up there in that situation."

Middleton called it ironic that the younger, less experienced Lady Falcons would be the ones to make the big plays at the end.

"I definitely thought we were going to overtime," she said. "Just one of those things. My young players were very nervous at the beginning because this was the biggest game they've ever played in. But by the end they showed they can make the plays."

Newton finished with a team-high 21 points for Flowery Branch. Adcock and Kristina Tyler each finished with 16.

Galbiati scored a game-high 28 in her final game for the Lady Warriors.