H.S. BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Freedom teams advance to Christmas tournament title games – Morganton News Herald

JUSTIN EPLEY Sports editor

Down 11 points after three quarters, the Freedom girls basketball teams hopes for advancing to the championship game of its home holiday tournament looked slim.

But the Lady Patriots put together a 27-15 fourth quarter to rally past Asheville School 63-62 in Wednesday evenings semifinal game in Morganton, sending FHS into the first-place game versus Concord Academy at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening.

For Freedom (8-4), the comeback started with a Sydnie Demiter 3-pointer just 9 seconds into the fourth quarter and was followed by her 2 for 2 trip to the foul line. Junior Peyton Caldwell then went on a tear for the hosts, scoring the teams next 11 points, including going 5 for 5 at the foul line, to bring the Lady Patriots within 56-52 with 3:45 left to play.

Three straight points from Ava Whitaker, followed by two more free throws from Caldwell, tied the game with 1:43 left to play. Another pair of makes from the stripe by Caldwell gave Freedom a 59-57 lead with 1:21 left, its first lead since late in the second quarter.

The Lady Blues retook the lead, 60-59, with 59 seconds left, but Cheryllana Cunninghams 3 with 51 ticks left on the clock made it 62-60. Another tie came on an Asheville School steal-and-score with 37 seconds left.

Caldwell set the final margin with a free throw with 13 seconds left before both teams proceeded to miss a pair of free throws in the final 9 seconds, and the Lady Blues turned over the ball on an inbound pass with 0.3 seconds left.

Caldwell (25 points) and Demiter (16) led the way for FHS. The rest of the hosts scoring came from Ava Cooke (seven points), Cunningham (five), Whitaker (five), Haven Gladden (four) and Ava Whisnant (one).

Asheville School, which slotted into Thursday afternoons third-place game versus Hibriten, was led by Ryann Hernandez (27 points), Alisha Watkins (15) and Maya Robinson (11).

Both teams encountered foul trouble late as the Lady Blues lost Robinson, Sarah Cutshaw and Carmen Perez Aparicio and Whitaker fouled out for the Lady Patriots.

The Lady Wildcats (4-7) collected their first win of the tournament with a consolation bracket victory in mercy-rule fashion over the Lady Stars on Wednesday morning in Morganton, leading 21-6 after a quarter, 42-14 at halftime and 62-19 after three periods.

A trio of players finished in double figures for Draughn. They included Zoe Rector (18 points), Kenley Berry (16) and Jenna Abernathy (14). The rest of DHS offensive output came from Emilee Cook (seven points), Rylee Woody (six), Ambria Blalock (two) and Jacey Davis (two).

It was Rising Stars Preps first game of the tournament after travel problems caused them to forfeit Tuesday evenings first-round game versus host Freedom. With the loss, the Lady Stars fell into Thursday mornings seventh-place game against T.C. Roberson.

The Patriots (6-6) gradually distanced themselves from the Wildcats (3-8) in Wednesday nights semifinal matchup in Morganton, using a 27-14 third period to pull away for good after leading 15-11 and 31-27 after the first two periods.

The result sent Freedom into Thursday nights championship game versus West Caldwell and Draughn into Thursday evenings third-place game versus T.C. Roberson.

It was still just a five-point lead, 43-38, with 2:15 left in the third before FHS caught fire at the end of the frame. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Braxton King suddenly made it a double-digit game, and a basket by Jaiveon Belin and back-to-back scores by Kris Creekmore made it 55-39. Another 3, this one by Amare Williams, let the Patriots end the quarter with a 58-41 lead.

Williams (two) and King combined for three more 3s in the first three minutes of the fourth frame to put the hosts up 22 points, 67-45, and they maintained things from there.

Kobe Johnson (15 points), who did much of the earlier damage, and King (14) finished in double figures for Freedom. Williams (nine points), Gavin McNaughton (eight), Elijah Davidson (seven), Belin (four), Creekmore (four), King Johnson (four), Jonah Griggs (two), Kayden Lytle (two) and Max Taylor (two) filled out the rest of the scoresheet.

DAndre Moore (26 points) and Eli Tillery (13) led the way for DHS. Also scoring for the Wildcats were Ethan Miller (six points), Blaine Blackwell (two), Connor Houston (two) and Blake McElyea (one).

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H.S. BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Freedom teams advance to Christmas tournament title games - Morganton News Herald