Lady Eagles headed to state tournament

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By Skip Leon

 

For three and a half quarters, the free throw line wasn't so free for the Fairfield girls' basketball team as it battlled Hardin-Jefferson in the Classs 4A Region III finals for the right to play in the state tournament in San Antonio.

It looked like the inability to knock down free throws would cost the Lady Eagles. But in the waning minutes of the game, the charity stripe proved to be victory lane.

Senior Braden Bossier made four consecutive foul shots in the final 3 minutes, 10 seconds and Fairfield held Hardin-Jefferson scoreless for virtually the second half of the fourth quarter to take a 54-50 decision and punch their tcket to San Antonio.

Fairfield had no trouble getting to the foul line. The Lady Eagles took 49 free throws and made 24. They were tied with Hardin-Jefferson after three quarters despite shooting 41 percent (15-of-36) from the line. The Lady Eagles were 8-for-13 in the fourth quarter.

By contrast, Hardin-Jefferson was 18-of-20 from the line, including 13-of-15 by Ashlon Jackson, who finished with a game-high 26 points.

Bossier's two free throws with 3:10 remaining pulled Fairfield to within 50-49.

After Fairfield missed a pair of foul shots with 1:55 left, Hardin-Jefferson went into a four-corner stall offense. But they turned the ball over with 1:24 left.

Hardin-Jefferson had trouble handling the 6-foot-1 Bossier inside and the Lady Eagles immediately pounded the ball into the low post. Bossier went up for a shot and was fouled with 1:15 left. She made both her charity tosses to give the Lady Eagles a 51-50 lead. 

As the clock wound down, Fairfield played a 1-2-2 zone tring to cut off Hardin-Jefferson's ability to penetrate to the basket. Jackson misfired on a three-pointer. Hardin-Jefferson got the rebound and Makenna Henry drove the left baselnie. Her shot was contested and fell off the rim. Fairfield's McKinna Brackens rebounded and hit a streaking Jada Clark with an outlet pass resulting in a layup.

Trailing 53-50 with 9.7 seconds left, Hardin-Jefferson called timeout to set up its offense. They inbounded the ball, but the attempt to pass the ball ahead was intercepted at midcourt by Brackens, who was fouled intentionally. She made a free throw with 3.2 seconds left. Due to the intentional foul, Fairfield got possession of the ball. They inbounded and ran out the clock.

The game was nip and tuck throughout. Hardin-Jefferson led 9-8 after one quarter and 27-24 at halftime. Fairfield battled back to a 40-40 tie after three quarters.

The Lady Eagles, who are ranked 10th in the state, will take a 33-4 record into the state tournament. Hardin-Jefferson, which was ranked No. 4, finished with a 29-9 record.

Bossier led a balanced Fairfield scoring atta with 14 points, including 10-of-18 from the foul line. Brackens added 10 points and was 6-of-12 from the free-throw line.

Breyunna Dowell scored eight points. Clark noitched seven points and Jarahle Daniels dded six points. Three plyers -- Shadasia Brackens, Kayelee Adams and Te'Yalla Simpson -- had three points each.

Bossier was voted the tournament's Most Valuable Player. McKinna Brackens also made the all-tourament team.