GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Known for her offensive prowess, it was a late offensive rebound by Riley Black that may have saved the day for Chestatee Friday night against East Forsyth in the Region 8-4A championship game.
Black beat two Lady Broncos to the ball after a missed Payton Cable free throw with just 7 seconds left, which led to her two free throws to seal a thrilling 58-54 win for the Lady War Eagles.
Black finished with 33 points -- 22 in a second half comeback -- and 13 rebounds and was named the Region 8-4A Player of the Year afterwards. Chestatee coach Sutton Shirley, who was named the 8-4A Coach of the Year also, said he sometimes is his team’s biggest obstacle.
“Riley Black is the Player of the Year, period -- P.E.R.I.O.D,” Shirley said. “She proved that tonight. She makes my job a lot easier.
“I just need to get out of the way and let her and the girls do what they do best. We’re playing man defense from now on, that’s for sure.”
It was a defensive turnaround in the second half that was the real catalyst to the Lady War Eagles’ first region title since 2014. Playing mostly zone, they had been torched for 30 points and trailed 30-21 at halftime.
“I’m a man-to-man (defense) guy and I just told them we’re going back to doing that,” Shirley said. “That second half defense may be the best we’ve played in a long while.”
Black said Shirley reminded them of the feeling after last year's loss in the region title game to Jefferson.
"We didn't want that feeling again this year so he just said to use that as motivation to keep going in the second half," Black said. "We just waited for the right time to attack (in the second half) on offense when we needed to. That was the difference in the second half. It feels awesome to get this after being so close last year."
Still, after East Forsyth’s Ella Holbrook converted a steal and layup a minute into the third quarter, the Lady Broncos held a 32-23 lead. Chestatee, which had gone 0-for-7 from 3-point range in the first half, finally began to find its range.
Addison Boyd hit Chestatee’s first of four second half treys and ignited a 20-7 run as the Lady War Eagles caught and passed East Forsyth on another Black jumper at the buzzer to end the third quarter for a 43-41 lead.
Holbrook would drain a 3-pointer to open the fourth and Adeline Rosebush scored inside to give East Forsyth a 46-43 lead. But Black hit a runner, Caroline Bull hit a 3-pointer, and Black sank her only 3-pointer of the game on consecutive possessions to reclaim the lead 51-49 with 3:44 left. Chestatee never trailed again.
“They made some adjustments in the second half and controlled the things you can control better than we did in the fourth quarter,” East Forsyth coach Mike Hedrick said. “I thought we played very well in the first half and did the things we needed to do to have success. Not so much in the second half.
“But it was a great atmosphere and a great showcase for girls basketball in this area. We’re just going to get ready for the state playoffs.”
Chestatee never led in the first half, mainly due to a quick East Forsyth defense that contested nearly every pass and shot. Five straight points from Holbrook broke a 2-2 tie and ignited what would become a 9-2 run for the Lady Broncos.
The Lady War Eagles answered with a 6-0 run to get within 11-10 but then went cold from the field. They were 0-for-7 from 3-point range in the opening 16 minutes and after two free throws from Bull to trim the lead to 17-14, East Forsyth took advantage.
The Lady Broncos forced three Chestatee turnovers in a four-possession span to fuel an 11-2 run for a 28-16 lead with 1:44 left in the half. Black finally was able to find some rhythm for Chestatee to cut the East Forsyth lead to 30-21 by halftime.
The only first half blemish for the Lady Broncos was some foul trouble with Rosebush, Hailey Hiddema, and Ayla Heard picking up two fouls each trying to slow down Black, who had 11 of the Lady War Eagles’ 21 first half points.
Bull and Sierra Yarbrough each had 8 points and 6 rebounds for Chestatee.
Rosebush finished with 21 points, 15 in the second half, and 12 rebounds to pace East Forsyth. Holbrook scored 18 but was held to just 5 in the second half and Heard added 10 points for the Lady Broncos.
Both teams will move to the state playoffs and play host to first round games next week
REGION 8-4A 3rd-PLACE GIRLS GAME
NORTH HALL 45,
EAST HALL 40
The Lady Trojans claimed the No. 3 seed from Region 8-4A with a tough win over the Lady Vikings.
It was a close battle most of the way with North Hall (21-7) leading just 11-10 after the first quarter and taking a 24-19 lead into halftime. But East Hall (11-18) stormed back.
The Lady Vikings outscored North Hall 15-11 in the third to close the gap to 35-34 heading into the fourth. But East Hall managed just one 3-pointer each from Callie Dale and Kaylana Curry over the final eight minutes as the Lady Trojans pulled away late.
Amelia Shoemaker paced North Hall with 17 points. Athena Vachtsevanos had 10 for the Lady Trojans.
Dale finished with 14, including four 3-pointers, to lead East Hall. Curry had 12 points and Maleah Harrison 9 for the Lady Vikings.
