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In fact, Lady Bulldogs’ coach Lacardo Means deemed it their worst game of the season, but the athleticism of his team was too much for the Eagles to handle, with Thomasville advancing to the finals with a 64-40 win Wednesday evening. They will meet Chatham Central Friday night at South, as the Bears defeated Jordan-Matthews in the first game of the night.
“This is something that we have dealt with before,” said Means. “I guess because we beat them pretty bad before, that if we just show up with Thomasville across our chest they will lay down. But they didn’t lay down and we just went through the motions.”
East Montgomery was about to get ran out of the gym with Thomasville starting hot from the outside. Secily Ray and Talia McMaster buried a pair of 3s on consecutive trips to end the first quarter with the Lady ‘Dogs up 18-8. But in the duration of the second quarter, the defense fell asleep and the Eagles made a bid at an upset.
East was allowed to penetrate at will, leading to dishes and easy buckets for forward Stacey Barber. She was fed the ball five straight times, helping the visitors on the scoreboard to a 12-4 run to get within five just before half. Christina Carter went coast-to-coast for Thomasville to end the run and provide a 31-24 lead with a half to play.
“Defensively, we just didn’t play any,” said Means. “We got through, so hopefully we can correct it with a practice.”
Means kept his team in the locker room for the duration of halftime, trying to pound his message of playing better defense into his team’s minds.
They listened.
Thomasville stretched the lead out to 44-33 at the end of the third, but saved its best basketball for the fourth to end with a statement.
Carter hit Christine Cole on the wing for a 3-ball, ultimately setting up a streak of baskets that decided the outcome. Thomasville would score on its next six trips down the floor to blow the game wide open at 59-33 with 3:30 left. Many of the baskets came on layups with the Lady Bulldogs’ pressing defense causing turnovers near the midcourt line.
Chatham Central is waiting in the finals for the second straight year, as the Bears came out victorious in a tight game last year. The two split the regular season series, with Thomasville winning the last. Central remains without star Jessica Curtis, who went down against the Bulldogs with an ACL tear in the first meeting. Still, the Bears are a difficult team to handle and will challenge Thomasville to the end, especially seeing how the Lady Eagles were able to hang with them.
“Any time we step on the court the other team is going to give us their best shot, and we have got to fight back,” said Means. “We can’t wait until the last round and try to get a knockout against them. It don’t have to be a knockout all the time, just get the decision and the ‘W’ out there.”
Ray led the Lady ‘Dogs with 18 points and Talia McMaster had 12. Barber finished with 19 for East.
Friday’s final is scheduled to begin at 6.
Sports Editor Zach Kepley can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 234, or at kepley@tvilletimes.com.