Published: 01:02 AM, Sun Mar 07, 2010
Westover girls advance to regional final
By Al Myatt
Correspondent
Terry Sanford coach, players talk about winning East
4-A East final: Terry Sanford 51, Riverside 44
GREENVILLE - Westover got a 15-footer from LaQeisha Coley with 1:05 left to tie the score and a free throw from Nia Trawick with 18.7 seconds remaining for a 51-50 win over Havelock in the Eastern 3-A girls basketball semifinals on Saturday.
Kelly McCaffity missed a shot from the right corner on the Rams' last possession and Coley collected the defensive rebound to send the Wolverines into today's regional final against South Central at 3 p.m.
Coley came up big for Westover (23-5) with 14 points as Chante Bell struggled to find her usual offensive effectiveness. An eight-day layoff due to the semifinals' postponement Wednesday caused problems for both teams as Westover had a 10-7 lead at the end of a low- scoring first quarter.
"The layoff hurt us but I think it was more nerves than layoffs," said Wolverines coach Gene Arrington.
The Rams had 13 turnovers in the first half and Westover had 14. The Wolverines played better at the outset of the second quarter, using an 8-2 run to lead 18-9. Havelock closed within 25-22 at the half.
Westover had a six-point lead with less than six minutes to go but the Rams pulled even at 48 on a follow shot by Lashonda Prichard with 2:35 left. A 12-footer by Melissa Thomas, who led all scorers with 22 points, put Havelock ahead 50-48 with 1:35 left.
It looked like the Rams had seized the momentum but those would be their last points.
"Everybody was in foul trouble," Arrington said. "They showed some toughness, though. They got frustrated with themselves. I've found out with this team if they get frustrated, it's best for me not to talk too much. I just sit. They've got to pull themselves out of this."
Coley extricated the Wolverines from their first deficit since the first quarter as she scored six seconds after a Havelock turnover. She drove to the foul line, pivoted and looked to pass but realized she was open before dropping the tying hoop.
"That's my spot," Coley said. "I just said, 'Please, please go in.' "
Thomas was called for blocking on Trawick with 18.7 seconds left. Trawick made the front of the one and one which proved to be the difference.
"That's what good teams do," Arrington said. "Different players step up."
Jasmyn Trawick had 11 points.