G-Girls lose heartbreaker to Cavs

HILLSVILLE, Va. — The Graham G-Girls believed they could beat Carroll County on their home floor. Friday night, they almost did.

Kayla Goins made two free throws with :04.3 left to give the Cavaliers a hard-fought 39-37 win over the G-Girls in the Southwest District tournament championship game at Carroll County High School Friday night.

“Our effort defensively tonight spoke for itself,” said Carroll County head coach Marc Motley. “That’s where we won the basketball game, on the defensive end and not turning it over.”

“I thought our girls came focused tonight, determined,” said Graham head coach Tracy Wyatt-Raban. “This is the first time in my three years of coaching that a team came to Carroll County believing that they could win.

“It’s really the first time all year that we’ve played four quarters and a whole game together. Just to come down to the end like that, it’s a tough one to take.”

The G-Girls had the lead, 37-32 midway through the fourth quarter. But Kayla Goins hit a 3-point shot from the top of the key and Audrey Dickens made a shot on the Cavaliers’ next possession to level the score.

“We’d been struggling a little bit offensively,” Motley said. “We hadn’t got our shooters open much. So we ran a little set to free up Rachel Dalton and of course she stepped up and knocked down a big 3.”

“Carroll’s tough. We know that. And a five-point lead is nothing,” Wyatt-Raban said. “That’s like having a one-point lead or not having a lead here at Carroll. They executed well. We just had a couple lapses defensively. We stayed strong. In the past, any team we would have just hung our heads and quit right then when they came back and tied it up on us.”

With 1:11 remaining in the contest, Carroll County got the ball back. They successfully bleeded the clock to the final seconds in order to get the last shot. Goins took that shot on a back door cut with :04.3 left. She did not make it, but she was fouled by Maegan Henry.

Goins had made just one of her first five free throws and the Cavaliers just three of 16. But with the title on the line, Goins came up huge. Graham was unable to get a shot off on the ensuing possession and the Cavaliers escaped.

“I’d have been happy with one at that point,” Motley said. “She made it when it counts. She’s a gamer.”

The G-Girls did almost everything right, going 11-for-14 from the foul line and outrebounding the Cavaliers 29-19. But they did not shoot the ball well, making 13 of 42 from the field.

“There was a couple shots that we could have knocked down,” Wyatt-Raban said. “The pressure that Carroll County gives, they’re gonna contest some shots and they did. Obviously you’d like to step up and knock a couple down and seal the win for us there. But it didn’t happen and give Carroll credit for the defense they played.”

Despite a 6-for-15 shooting night, Goins led all scorers with 16 points and added seven rebounds. Graham’s Maggie Jones was the only other player in double figures with 10 points although Kelli Landreth, Chelsea Gallinger and Maegan Henry each added seven boards.

Neither team was able to take full control in the first half. Graham committed eight turnovers and took the ball away just twice in the first half, but Carroll County could not turn the miscues into points, shooting 9-for-23 from the field.

Both teams decided against concentrating their attacks from outside, working the paint instead. Those strategies began to work in the second quarter with the G-Girls holding the lead for much of the period but the Cavaliers going into the locker room with a 20-19 halftime lead.

The third quarter proved to be as even as the first two. Graham started getting as many turnovers as they gave and continued the inside onslaught. They went into the fourth period with the lead, but only by the slimmest of margins 29-28.

However, having the lead meant Graham had the momentum and they used it to build a 37-32 lead midway through the final period.

Neither Carroll County (16-8) nor Graham (18-7) know who they will play in the Region IV tournament. They will find out that information officially on Sunday.

Motley was just happy to get out with a win.

“Tonight I was so proud of us being able to control the basketball and control the tempo,” Motley said. “If we can control the basketball and not turn it over, offense we can struggle a little bit and get more looks at it.”

Wyatt-Raban was glad to see her team finally put together a complete game.

“I don’t know if it’s much of a regrouping,” Wyatt-Raban said. “Our girls saw that they can come and play four quarters and play with the best team in the district. They’re disappointed with the loss, but as far as frustrated and angry, I don’t think it’s there. I think if anything this is going to help us out as far as confidence and realizing that we can play four quarters and we can hang in there with the best of them.”

—Contact Jed Lockett

at jlockett@bdtonline.com

GRAHAM (18-7)

Kelli Landreth 2-8 0-0 4, Ashley Simpson 1-1 0-0 2, Mariah Lampert 0-2 0-0 0, Chelsea Gallinger 2-8 3-4 7, Chrystal Dickens 2-4 2-2 6, Maegan Henry 2-6 4-6 8, Maggie Jones 4-13 2-2 10. Totals 13-42 11-14 37.

CARROLL COUNTY (16-8)

Rachel Dalton 1-2 0-2 3, Brittany Hill 0-0 0-0 0, Kayla Goins 6-15 3-7 16, Maleah Nealy 0-0 0-0 0, Cydnie Cornell 3-5 0-4 6, Audrey Dickens 3-8 1-3 7, Lindsey Martin 0-2 0-0 0, Kaitlan Viars 3-8 1-2 7. Totals 16-40 5-18 39.

Graham........................................6 13 10 8 -- 37

Carroll County.............................6 14 8 11 -- 39

3-Point Goals -- Graham 0-6 (Dickens 0-1, Jones 0-1, Landreth 0-1, Gallinger 0-3). Carroll County 2-9 (Dalton 1-1, Goins 1-3, Dickens 0-1, Cornell 0-2, Martin 0-2). Rebounds -- Graham 29 (Gallinger 7, Henry 7, Landreth 7). Carroll County 19 (Goins 7). Blocks -- Graham 1 (Dickens 1). Carroll County 2 (Viars 2). Turnovers -- Graham 13. Carroll County 6.

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