For the first time in seven years, Gaylesville won a playoff game by virtue of the No. 5 seed Lady Trojans’ 66-52 win over No. 4 seed Cedar Bluff in the Class 1A, Area 10 Girls Tournament play-in game at Spring Garden.
If that accomplishment weren’t enough, the victory marked the first time that Gaylesville had beaten the Lady Tigers in at least 10 years.
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The above triumph earned Gaylesville its 10th win of the season, making it the first time in at least 15 years that the Lady Trojans (10-14) reached double-digit wins.
Gaylesville faces No. 1 seed Spring Garden on Friday.
The Lady Trojans led for the entire 32 minutes, and the closest that Cedar Bluff could pull within after halftime was 12 points with a minute and change remaining in the game.
A big factor in the win was the shooting of junior forward Cassandra Waldron, who knocked down seven three-point baskets in the way to a game-high 29 points.
Five of Waldron’s treys came in the first half, when her 23 points helped provide Gaylesville with a 19-point halftime lead.
Cedar Bluff held a 35-30 scoring advantage over the final 16 minutes, but the Lady Tigers failed to put together a sustained run until it was too late.
“Cassandra just had a super game shooting the ball,” said Gaylesville head coach Alton Leach. “We had a good offensive game and played very good defense in the first half. We did just enough to stay ahead [in the second half]. I figured that Cedar Bluff would make a run, especially when Carla [Bora Prats] fouled out [with 5:21 left in the game]. She did a great job of distributing the ball and getting us some open shots.”
Sloane Brewster added 16 points, 15 of them coming in the second half.
Leigha Blake and Caroline May each scored 19 points for Cedar Bluff (15-16).
“We played hard in the second half, but [Gaylesville] pretty much matched us basket for basket,” said Cedar Bluff head coach Joe Carpenter. “Coach Leach did a great job tonight, and [Gaylesville] beat us soundly in every phase of the ballgame. It hurt us when [senior guard] Leann [Moten] fouled out [with 1:58 remaining in the third quarter], but [Gaylesville] had an answer for everything we threw at them.”
The Lady Trojans opened the game with an 11-3 run, and Waldron’s three three-pointers and 11 points over the first eight minutes helped Gaylesville take a 19-6 lead.
May’s two baskets and one from Blake cut the Lady Tiger deficit to 19-12 with 6:26 left in the second quarter, but Waldron accounted for 12 points of an 13-5 Lady Trojan spurt that extended the Lady Trojan advantage to 15 points.
Amber Moseley put the finishing touches on Gaylesville’s solid first half, as her consecutive steals and resulting lay-ups over the last 19 seconds sent the Lady Trojans into the locker room with a 36-17 lead.
Six points each from Waldron and Brewster during the third quarter helped Gaylesville to a 50-32 advantage.
Brewster’s traditional three-point play at the 4:11 mark of the fourth period pushed the Lady Trojan lead to 20 points before a 12-2 stretch brought Cedar Bluff within 62-50 with 1:13 on the clock.
Brewster’s two baskets over the final 51 seconds closed the deal, extending the Lady Trojans’ season for at least one more game.
GAYLESVILLE (66): Waldron 29, Brewster 16, Borja Prats 8, Haney 7, Moseley 6.
CEDAR BLUFF (52): Blake 19, May 19, Brannon 6, Moten 4, Fife 4
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