Graceville advances over PdL 52-48

GRACEVILLE – “It was the best team game we played all year,” said a hoarse Graceville Coach Jon Habib Tuesday night. “It was our best ever team effort.”

It took a team effort as the Lady Tigers edged perennial area power Ponce deLeon 52-48 to capture the sub-regional title and move on the road to play at Lafayette Mayo Saturday for the regional championship.

Graceville defeated PdL during the regular season for one of the Lady Pirates’ three losses, and the game opened looking like there would be a similar result Saturday evening before an energetic, packed house. Graceville took a 12-8 first-quarter lead and stretched it to 16-8 early in the second quarter as senior center Jessica McClendon hit two quick buckets.

McClendon gave PdL trouble inside all night, especially after PdL center Jasmine Flock got in foul trouble in the first quarter. The Lady Pirates came back, however, as PdL hit a shot at the buzzer to tie it 23-all at halftime.

From there on it was nip-and-tuck for most of the third quarter as senior forward Hillary Harper hit a three-pointer that gave the Lady Pirates as 35-30 lead before Graceville made it 35-33 going in to the fourth quarter.

McClendon’s layup tied the score 35-all a few seconds into the fourth quarter and another McClendon layup made it 37-35 Lady Tigers and Graceville never trailed again. PdL got as close as 47-43 with 2 minutes left, but Graceville played keep-away and hit 5 crucial free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Ponce deLeon Coach Tim Alford praised his team, including seniors Harper and Sha-Lea Yates, who played their last basketball game for the Lady Pirates. “We played well but we just lost our composure a little bit,” Alford said.

McClendon led Graceville with 17 points and Zay Henderson scored 10 points. Harper led all scorers with 20 points and Flock scored 12.

“It’s the best team we’ve beaten all year,” Habib said. We knew it would be a battle.”