FLOWERY BRANCH — Six long years it had been since the Flowery Branch girls had tasted postseason victory.
And for the current group of Lady Falcons in particular, some tough early round losses over the last three years had left an especially bitter taste.
They erased all of that Tuesday night with a 58-50 win over Lithia Springs in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs at the Flowery Branch gym.
Senior Maddie Hetzel remembered a first round loss as a freshman on a 23-win team that had high expectations. They all remembered last year’s gut-wrenching buzzer-beating loss to Sequoyah.
“This was super important for the seniors because we had never been past the first round and it was something we wanted to cross off the list,” she said. “The seniors talked all the time about getting that first win. There is a big sense of relief now.”
But it was sophomore Taniyah Worth and junior Julianne Sutton who put the team on their backs. Worth finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and two assists and Sutton added 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
“Coach told us that it’s one game and it could be over so we took it serious,” Worth said.
“Taniyah just did a much better job of attacking the basket and just playing her style,” Flowery Branch coach Courtney Newton said. “She was too passive in the region tournament. We need her to play aggressive .”
Newton also said it’s just a relief to not have to hear any more talk of what they hadn’t done in recent years.
“We’re glad to get that one out of the way,” she said. “It was kind of an ugly game all around but we were able to get the win and that’s what matters this time of year.”
The Lady Falcons (28-1) had control most of the game and built two different 15-point leads in the second half, the last at 53-38 with 2:46 left in the game. They had chances to blow it open in the final 1:01 but missed the front end of three straight one-and-one attempts.
Fortunately, Lithia Springs (16-14) could not capitalize converting just one basket and missing four other shots, including two 3-pointers, during that stretch to trim the lead to 56-48 with 39 seconds left. Worth sealed it with a pair of free throws with 23 seconds remaining.
Newton said there is plenty to work on before they play host to Northside-Columbus at 6 p.m. Friday in the second round.
“The girls handled the in-game adjustments well and our transition game and defense were much better in the second half,” she said. “But we have to do a better job on free throws and just executing better at times.”
The Lady Falcons opened the game with a quick 3-0 run on a free throw and stick-back basket by Sutton in the first 30 second. Lithia Springs battled back to take a 5-3 on a 3-pointer and fastbreak basket by Kiana Johnson.
But that would be the Lady Lions only lead. Flowery Branch used its height advantage and running game to explode for a 12-0 run to take a 15-5 with 1:42 left in the first quarter. The Lady Falcons had two more offensive stick-back baskets while they dished out three assists as a team.
Lithia Springs clawed its way back into the game in the second quarter using an 8-3 run into the second quarter to pull within 18-13. But the Lady Falcons closed out the half with a 23-17 lead.
Flowery Branch outrebounded the Lady Lions 15-4 in the first half, including six offensive rebounds. Sutton and Taniyah Worth were the offensive catalysts for the Lady Falcons with 10 points apiece in the first half.
Johnson finished with 19 points to pace the Lady Lions. Arit Asanga added nine points for Lithia Springs.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/2/370611/class-aaaaa-lady-falcons-beat-lithia-springs-to-end-playoff-drought