For the first time since 2018, the Region 1-A Girls Championship is heading to Stoney Creek.
Unaka outlasted North Greene for a 63-61 overtime thriller in the Region 1-A Championship on Wednesday night on Warrior Hill. With the win, Unaka will host Coalfield in Saturday’s sectional round with a spot in Murfreesboro on the line.
After North Greene jumped out to a 7-3 lead, Brooklyn Campbell and Kalli Shepherd hit back-to-back shots for the Lady Rangers. Emma Whitaker hit a jumper for Unaka to tie things up at 9-9, but the Lady Huskies used a 7-0 run to answer.
Michelle Shields and Campbell, however, ended the quarter with shots as the Lady Rangers cut the gap to 16-14 after eight minutes of play.
Shields opened the second quarter with a bucket while Shepherd added a 3-pointer to give Unaka the lead. The teams traded shots and the lead over much of the second quarter before Whitaker scored six straight points to help propel Unaka to a 39-32 lead at the half.
It continued to be a battle in the second half.
The teams traded points as Unaka held a 46-38 lead past the midpoint of the third. Tralyn Southerland and the Lady Huskies scored the next eight points to tie the game at 46-46 early in the fourth. It was a back-and-forth battle through the fourth. After Campbell gave Unaka a 55-52 lead, North Greene’s Cadie McDevitt hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left. Neither team could convert a last-second shot as the game went to overtime.
After Southerland gave NG a 57-55 lead early in the extra period, Sheilds and Katlyn Dugger hit free throws to push Unaka back in front. The Lady Huskies scored four straight to take a 61-59 lead with 1:48 left to play. Shields, however, tied things up with a jumper with 1:21 left to play and then hit a pair of free throws to give the Lady Rangers a 63-61 lead.
The Lady Rangers held strong on the final defensive play to secure the win and set off the celebration.
Shields recorded 30 points to lead Unaka. Whitaker had 17 points, while Campbell had seven points. Shields was selected as the tournament MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament by Whitaker, Dugger, and Campbell.
McDevitt and Eva Leonard led North Greene with 17 and 10 points, respectively.
Ella Head, Southerland, and McDevitt were All-Tournament selections for North Greene.
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