Cloudland came up on the wrong side of a heartbreaker Friday night.
The Lady ‘Landers were unable to answer a North Greene shot in the closing seconds in a 47-45 decision to the Lady Huskies in the District 1-A Semifinals on Warrior Hill. Cloudland moves into Monday’s consolation game against Hampton, while North Greene will face Unaka in the championship game.
The semifinal featuring two teams who have won a combined 47 games this season lived up to the hype.
After NG took a 9-2 lead to open the game, Cloudland reeled off six straight points capped by shots from Abby Clawson and Makinna Shell. NG added four points to end the quarter and took a 13-8 lead into the second quarter.
The Lady ‘Landers saw Abriella Jones hit a pair of free throws to open the second while Clawson hit back-to-back shots to lift CHS to a 14-13 lead. The teams traded shots and the lead throughout the second as CHS held a 25-23 advantage at the half.
North Greene opened the third quarter with four straight points, but Clawson and Jayla Harper hit key shots to push CHS to a 31-29 lead after three complete quarters setting the stage for a frantic fourth quarter which the two teams combined for 32 points – including 15 points inside the final two minutes – and five lead changes and two ties over the final eight minutes.
After North Greene opened the quarter on a 7-1 run, Shell and Harper answered to tie the game at 36-36 with 2:48 left in the game.
After NG regained the lead on Tralyn Southerland free throws, Harper knocked down a 3-pointer to regain the lead for Cloudland. Shell added a jumper to push the CHS lead to 41-38 with 1:52 left.
Eva Leonard and Josie Graham put North Greene back in the lead before Clawson answered for the Lady ‘Landers. Regan Blair and Southerland traded shots as Blair’s basket with 30 seconds left gave CHS a 45-44 lead.
North Greene took the lead with 9.2 seconds remaining as Eva Leonard knocked down a 3-pointer off an inbound pass.
Cloudland was able to get an attempt to tie the game, but was unable to force overtime.
Shell led Cloudland with 14 points, while Clawson had 12 points. Harper added nine points.
Leonard led the Lady Huskies with 12 points, while Southerland added 11 points.
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