MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — For the first time in program history, the Banks County girls will play for a state championship.
The Lady Leopards held off a furious fourth quarter rally to beat Josey 48-44 on Saturday in the Class 2A semifinals at Georgia College & State University.
Banks County (28-3) will move on to Thursday’s championship game against Mt. Paran, who beat Landmark Christian 58-51 in the other semifinals on Saturday. Tip-off for the title game is slated for 1 p.m. at the Macon Coliseum. Mt. Paran won the Class A Private state title in 2022.
After being held scoreless in the first half, senior Kamryn Grier paced Banks County in the second half finishing with 14 points, 8 in the fourth quarter, and 10 rebounds as the Lady Eagles had no answer despite plenty of size underneath.
Banks County (28-3) never trailed but watched as Josey (25-5) slowly whittled down a 13-point third quarter lead. The Lady Eagles went to a full-court press late in the third, which sparked an 11-4 run over the final four minutes to get within 34-28. Josey trimmed the lead to 37-36 with just under three minutes left on a Arieonna Booker basket.
Grier, however, reclaimed the momentum for Banks County scoring 6 straight points for the Lady Leopards, who pushed their lead back to 43-38 with 1:13 left. Josey did not go away hitting a pair of 3-pointers from Branasia Henderson and Shaniya Sanders.
But Banks County was able to hang on hitting 5-of-8 free throws in the final minute, including two by Addison Hoard with 3 seconds left to seal it.
Hoard finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals and Ryleigh Murphy had 15 points as well for the Lady Leopards.
Banks County, and Ryleigh Murphy in particular, came out firing to start the game. Murphy hit first three 3-pointers as the Lady Leopards jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes. Hoard provided five points in the final two minutes as Banks County led 14-6 after the first quarter.
From there, both defenses took control. Josey held the Lady Leopards to just one Carly Segars stickback basket over the first five minutes. However, after the Lady Eagles cut the lead to 16-10 with 5:20 left in the half, Banks County forced seven Josey turnovers and got another 3-pointer from Murphy and a basket from Hoard to run out to a 21-10 lead.
The Lady Eagles’ only basket over the final 5:20 came on a steal and layup by Kerri Fluellen at the buzzer as Banks County took a 21-12 advantage into the break.
Booker and Sanders both finished with 13 points to pace Josey with Booker also pulling down 10 rebounds. Fluellen had 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals for the Lady Eagles.
