The Fairfield Lady Eagles showed heart and determination as they battled back to take a 51-39 overtime win over the Grandview Lady Zebras in the Area Championship at Corsicana High School on Friday night, Feb. 14, to advance to the Regional Semifinals.
When asked about coming back out in the second half trailing 28-14, Coach Sally Whitaker said, “We were in a tough spot; really not a spot that we are used to being in. Our kids did a really good job of keeping their heads on and knowing that if we play hard defense, then our offense will come to us. They came out in the third quarter and showed a lot of heart tonight and I am proud of them.”
Blayke Brackens scored the first basket of the game to put Fairfield up 2-0. However, that would be the Lady Eagles only lead until overtime.
Grandview led 18-4 after the first quarter of play. Both the Lady Eagles and Lady Zebras scored 10 points in the second quarter as Grandview took a 28-14 lead at halftime.
The Lady Eagles came out in the third quarter and outscored the Lady Zebras 13-4 to cut Grandview’s lead to five, 32-27, going into the final quarter of play.
When asked about the intensity the Lady Eagles showed in the second half, Ẅhitaker said, “We can tell them to up their game, but it is up to them. They made a choice as a team to increase that intensity and they did a really good job. Sometimes you just have to survive these games. Grandview is really, really good and we just found a way. That is the best quality we can have, is finding a way to win.”
With 2:39 left in the fourth quarter, Whitaker called a timeout. Following the timeout, Jimilyah Nash hit a basket to cut Grandview’s lead to two, 37-35. Brackens blocked a Grandview shot and forced the Lady Zebras to call a timeout.
With 43 seconds left in the quarter and still down by two, Whitaker called another timeout to draw up a play. Brackens scored with 33 seconds left on the clock to tie the game at 37.
“Honestly, I was very nervous. Coach said in the timeout that I was going to take the last shot and I knew that I was like 0 for 8 before that. I just tried my hardest to make it,” Brackens said after the game. “Just knowing that I had a team that believed in and set a screen for me to take the last shot means a lot to me.”
Neither team managed to score in the final 33 seconds, which forced a four-minute overtime. It was all Fairfield in overtime as the Lady Eagles cruised to a 51-39 overtime win over Grandview.
In overtime, Whitaker started to have a big smile on her face once her team got up by a couple of baskets.
¨You just see things working out like you thought they would,” Whitaker said. “You see our kids start to believe that yes, we do have this. That is what is enjoyable about being a coach; when you see your kids realizing that they fought a tough battle and they are coming out on top.”
Nash and Jacelynn Schmidt led the way for the Lady Eagles with 11 points each. Brackens and Kaylee Williams added 10 points apiece, Jaci Abram 4, and KeKe Alexander, Kole Brackens, and Rhett Ralstin 2 each.
Fairfield traveled to Conroe High School on Tuesday night, Feb. 18, to take on the Hitchcock Lady Bulldogs once again in the regional semifinals for a chance to advance to the regional finals later this week.
