Monday sports page: Overtime thriller sends Lady Trojans to region semifinals
Photo: Londyn Griffin of Northpoint Christian School (22) attempts a free throw in the second half of Monday’s 40-38 overtime victory over Trinity Christian Academy. (Mary Scott/Oak River Media)
Northpoint Christian School girls’ basketball coach Barry Gray called Monday’s 40-38 overtime victory over Trinity Christian Academy of Jackson, Tenn. his team’s best win of the year. Gray has a lot to choose from with the Lady Trojans’ 19-3 record after the TSSAA West Region second round contest at Northpoint.
For those who viewed the game on David Manley Court, it’s quick to understand that the game may not have been among the best basketball “works of art.” Low scoring in the first half, some questionable calls from the officials, it was definitely a grinding contest as both teams were throwing second-half shots at each other. Nailah Herrera threw the knockout punch with a steal and a layup as time was about to expire in overtime for the win.
“We were trying to get it to her late in the press offense instead of early,” said Gray. “I think some fatigue in the second half got her to the right speed and she got real efficient late, so I was proud of her efficiency.”
Herrera joined teammate Londyn Griffin for team high honors with 13 points each to counter Tori Robinson’s game-high 18 points, which led Trinity Christian.
Points were very hard to come by in the first half, as the Lady Trojans held a 7-3 lead after one quarter and led 15-7 after Sara Jane Stroud hit a basket as the buzzer sounded to end the first half.
Griffin was the Northpoint story of the first half, as she scored eight of the team’s 15 points, followed by teammates Stroud with four and Lillie Milligan adding a three-pointer. Herrera failed to score in the first half and a pair of Robinson baskets in the second quarter led the Lions with four of their seven points.
Trinity Christian chipped away at the Northpoint lead in the third quarter and was finally able to take its first lead at 20-18 with 3:17 left in the period. Herrera would quickly knot the game back up at 20-20, an indication of how the rest of the game would go.
The Lions outscored Northpoint 16-12 in the third period but the Lady Trojans clinged to a 24-23 lead entering the final frame. The lead was never more than three points for either team for the remainder of the game, which went to overtime when Trinity Christian knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game with 9.1 seconds left in regulation.
Herrera scored all four points in the extra session, including a steal and resulting layup with just a couple of seconds remaining, leaving the Lions no chance to answer as the remaining time evaporated. Robinson sank the lone TCA basket in the extra period.
(Mary Scott/Oak River Media)
Stroud finished with eight points and Milligan had six for the Lady Trojans. Mary Grace Cleek added seven for TCA.
“You know what, we’re only one win from the final eight, so you never know,” Gray said about his squad now reaching the D2-A West Region semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night at Evangelical Christian School (ECS) in Cordova, Tenn.
That win will be a tough one to get however, as top-ranked University School of Jackson, Tenn. awaits as the opposition. USJ defeated ECS to reach the semifinal round.
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A “Golden Goal” in overtime was the only scoring in the game, as George County won its first MHSAA 6A state title in a 1-0 victory over Center Hill, which was in the state finals for the second straight year. The game had gone through regulation time and two overtime periods without scoring, leading to the “Golden Goal” overtime where the next goal won the game.
Monday, Feb. 17
Prep girls basketball
TSSAA Division 2-A West Region second round
- Northpoint Christian 40, Trinity Christian 38 (overtime)
- Northpoint: Nailah Herrera-13, Londyn Griffin-13
Prep boys soccer
MHSAA 6A state championship – at Germantown (Madison)
- George County 1, Center Hill 0 (overtime)
Prep baseball
- Pontotoc 8, Center Hill 6
- Magnolia Heights 7, Jackson Academy 5 (9 innings)
- Magnolia Heights 5, Jackson Academy 4
JUCO men’s basketball
- Itawamba 95, Northwest 74
JUCO women’s basketball
- Itawamba 68, Northwest 64
