Leake gunning for number seven
Southern Sports & Travel
The number one ranked Leake Rebelettes broke open a 28-28 second half tie with a 15-4 run to defeat third ranked Simpson 62-46 and advance to today’s Class AA State Championship game.
Leake will be aiming for their seventh consecutive state championship, something no other MAIS school has ever done.
Sophomore Chloe Thaggard scored a game high 20 points to led Leake into today’s final against second ranked Bowling Green.
Simpson got the start they had hoped for in taking an early 5-3 lead on a Brittany Gardner basket in the paint with two minutes gone in the first quarter.
With Simpson holding on to a slim 9-8 lead Leake cashed in on a Lady Cougar turnover when Hannah Peoples hit a 17 foot jumper from the wing with three seconds remaining to give the Rebelettes a 10-9 lead heading into the second quarter.
Leake made Simpson pay for another turnover as Chloe Thaggard went glass from the post to give the Rebelettes a 12-9 lead nearly three minutes into the quarter but Simpson went head to head with the defending champs and grabbed a 19-18 lead on a Callie Martin baseline basket with 1:09 left in the half.
(Above) Leake's Chloe Thaggard (#15) launches a jumper
Leake’s domination on the boards kept the cold shooting Rebelettes in the game and a Chloe Thaggard offensive rebound and put back with 29 seconds sent the lead back in Leake’s direction at 20-19 heading into intermission.
Simpson came out in the early stages of the third quarter and played their best basketball of the afternoon.
Kasey McWilliams hit a 3-pointer fifteen seconds into the third quarter to give Simpson a 22-20 lead and after Hannah Peoples knotted the game up at 22-22 on a lay-in Simpson took their biggest lead of the game at 26-22 following an Abby Dunston fast break bucket and two Brittany Garner free throws.
That four point swing seemed to provide a wake up call for the defending champions.
Leake reeled off a 19-3 run over the next six minutes and forced six Simpson turnovers to take a 41-29 lead.
Auguste Knight’s 3-pointer with seven seconds left in the quarter closed out the scoring as Leake had built a 41-32 lead with one quarter left to play.
Simpson remained within ten points during the first three minutes of the fourth quarter but the Lady Cougars couldn’t shake the turnover bug and Leake was more than willing to capitalize on it.
(Above) Hannah Peoples (#5) of Leake gets resistance from Simpson's Brittany Gardner (#34)
Leake took their biggest lead of the game at 55-50 on Anna Kat Nowell’s driving lay-in with 2:01 remaining and finished off the game with a Mary Grace Key bucket to take a 62-46 win.
Chloe Thaggard led Leake with 20 points, Mary Grace Key added 16, Hannah Peoples 15 and Anna Kat Nowell 11.
Simpson was led by Auguste Knight with 11, Brittany Gardner added 10, Lauren Griffin and Kasey McWilliams had 7 each, Abby Dunston 5, Hallie Stubbs 4 and Callie Martin 2.
Leake improves to 37-2 while Simpson slips to 27-10.
Simpson will play Brookhaven this afternoon at 1:00 in the consolation matchup.
The winner of that game advances to next week’s Overall Tournament.
