| Bradford nails free throws to end Gleason girls' season |
By: Sara Reid — Special to the Weakley County Pres
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Posted: Tuesday, March 3, 2009 2:32 pm
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Finding the seam — Gleason's Sara Hensley (center) splits a pair of Red Devil defenders during her team's 39-31 loss to Bradford Monday night. Hensley keyed a GHS rally that came up short in the Region 7-A semifinals.
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Sara Hensley’s eight straight points in the third quarter electrified the crowd and sparked her team to an almost complete comeback, but the Bradford Lady Red Devils used the free-throw line to their advantage and pulled away in the fourth to win 39-31 in the Region 7-A semifinals Monday night at Huntingdon.
Though Gleason controlled the tempo and trailed by a single bucket after one quarter, Bradford played its style of ball in the second frame and built an 11-point halftime advantage. Hensley brought the locals back in the third, but Bradford regrouped in the fourth and hit 9-of-12 shots from the line to escape with the win and a trip to the Region 7-A championship game at 7 on Wednesday night. Bradford will take on Lake County, 51-47 winners in overtime over Humboldt in the other semifinal. The loss ends Gleason’s season with a 21-10 record.
Bradford opened by scoring the game’s first five points. Kim Edenfield knocked down a three for GHS, but Molly Wallsmith answered with a layup. Edenfield was fouled on an offensive rebound, hit both from the line and ended the quarter by bringing Gleason within two, 7-5.
Early in the second quarter, Taylor Stout hit two from the line to forge a 7-7 tie. Bradford then went on a scoring tear and surged ahead 18-7. Free throws from Gleason’s lone senior — Maggie Lowrance — with 1:30 before halftime made the score 18-9, but Jasmine Morgan scored four straight and gave the Lady Devils a 22-9 lead. Hensley drove in the paint and hit a runner to trim two off the Lady Dawgs' deficit for a 22-11 halftime score.
Jenna Frazier drove in and scored to further cut into the lead, 22-13, early in the third, before Hensley caught fire. Hitting three straight shots, she brought the Lady Bulldogs back within three at 22-19. Morgan scored Bradford’s first basket of the third with 2:35 left, but Hensley answered. Gleason outscored the Lady Red Devils 10-4 for the quarter, but still trailed 26-21 at the end of three.
Bradford entered the bonus in the fourth and began to pull away. The Devils built a 10-point lead and, despite a Hensley three from the corner to cut the lead to seven, Bradford stayed alive with a 39-31 win.
Wallsmith and Morgan each had 11 points for the Lady Red Devils. Hensley led all scorers with 15 points for Gleason.
Region 7-A Tournament
Semifinals
March 2 at Huntingdon
GIRLS
Gleason (31) — Sara Hensley 15, Kim Edenfield 7, Jenna Frazier 5, Taylor Stout 2, Maggie Lowrance 2.
Bradford (39) — Molly Wallsmith 11, Jasmine Morgan 11, Sarah Combs 9, Jackilann Street 5, Emily Cunningham 3.
3-pointers: Gleason — Hensley, Edenfield; Bradford — Wallsmith, Combs, Street.
Records: Gleason 22-9, Bradford 26-6. |
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