AAU Hoops
GA Pistols capture 14U AAU crown
Norwood drops 21 in title game
Austin Peay State University - Clarksville, TN
Championship Game - “'One team, One dream”
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| Norwood dropped 21 points in the championship game. |
Clarksville, TN - Head Coach Percy Gordon and his 14U GA Pistols put all of the pieces together and the results turned out to be just what he thought they could be when they started pool play back on Tuesday, a National Championship. Led by their dynamic point Fr.-Erica Norwood (Campbell H.S.) the Pistols knocked off the South Carolina Lady 76er’s 62-46 in the 14U AAU National Championship Game.
The score is not indicative of how close the game was and it doesn’t tell you about all of the missed opportunities the 76er’s blew, but it does tell you that the GA Pistols are the 2008 14U AAU National Champions.
The 76er’s jumped out to a 15-6 lead and if it weren’t for several missed free-throws the lead might have been larger; fortunately at the half the Pistols only trailed by two; 27-25. The two teams battled each other back and forth throughout the second half with both taking turns in the lead.
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| Fr.-Dominique Wilson (McEachern H.S.) (l) and 9th Grader-Celina Rodrigo (Hillgrove H.S.) stepped up their games during the tournament. |
Trailing 39-38 the Pistols who love to play an up-tempo game kicked it into high gear and the catalyst was Norwood. The Campbell High School freshman scored 11 points as the Pistols went on a 24-7 run to take total control of the game; her points didn’t come as a result of her standing outside shooting jumpers; the 5-4 point guard took the ball into the land of the giants and forced them to foul her. In all Norwood connected on 9 of 11 free-throws in the game which ultimately sealed a very satisfying 62-46 championship game victory.
With the seconds ticking off the clock you could just see the pride, togetherness and sense of accomplishment the Pistols coaches, players and their family members felt as they rushed the floor for wild national championship game celebration.
Norwood’s 21 points led all scorers; Fr.- Jasmine Williams (Arlington Christian School) and 9th Grader-Celina Rodrigo (Hillgrove H.S.) each added 8 points. The 76er’s were paced by Xylina McDaniel who scored 14 points.
Three GA Pistols were named to the All-Tournament Team: Erica Norwood, Jasmine Williams and Natasha Dixon.
The Final Four - “One step closer to gold”.
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| Fr.-Natasha Dixon (Lassiter) (l) scored 9 big 2nd half points and Fr.- Jasmine Williams (Arlington Christian School) (r) added 8. |
Clarksville, TN - For some reason Coach Gordon’s squad appeared a little sluggish early Sunday morning in their semifinals match-up against the Indiana Wildcat Attack; by the time the Pistols woke up they found themselves on the short end of the stick, trailing 29-24 at the half.
At the half the Pistols reloaded and came out firing. With Fr.- Sarah Durdaller, Fr.-Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) and 9th Grader- Christen Johnson seizing control of the boards that enabled point-guards Fr.-Erica Norwood (Campbell H.S.) and 9th Grader-Celina Rodrigo (Hillgrove H.S.) to push the ball up the court to help assist with some easy baskets. The rebounding also helped to limit the number of second chance shot attempts the Wildcat Attack capitalized on in the first half.
Fr.-Natasha Dixon (Lassiter) was the recipient of some nice assists that led to her 9 second half points that helped the Pistols outscored the Wildcat Attack 39-25. A late rally led by the Attack’s Monet Taylor came up short as the Pistols went on to a hard fought 63-54 win.
Hodges added 10 points and 5 rebounds, Norwood and Fr.- Jasmine Williams (Arlington Christian School) each finished with 8 points. Durdaller hauled down a team high 8 boards.
After a brief celebration and a big sy-of-relief Coach Gordon and his GA Pistols turned their attention to their next game “The 14U AAU National Championship Game”.
The Elite 8 – “Still Standing”
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| Fr.-Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) (l) andJasmine Williams a 5-10 freshman (Arlington Christian School) (r) scored 10 and 12 points respectively. |
Clarksville, TN - At this stage of the game nothing can be taken for granted as the Pistols hit the court Saturday afternoon for their Elite 8 showdown against the Lady Flight Trotters from Tennessee; who had recorded 2 impressive championship round victories of their own. The game was nip-n-tuck all the way but when it was all said and done it was the Pistols who were still standing as they squeezed out a hard fought 67-64 win.
Everybody on the Pistols who hit the floor in this game hit it with a vengeance. Four players finished in double-digits scoring and it could have very easily been 6 of them. Jasmine Williams a 5-10 freshman (Arlington Christian School) finally showed what she could do scoring a team high 12 points. Fr.-Erica Norwood (Campbell H.S.) didn’t have a good shooting night but she still managed to finish with 11 points.
Freshman Grace Leah Baughn (Wesleyan) and Fr.-Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) continued their outstanding tournament play with 10 points each. Fr.-Natasha Dixon (Lassiter) and Fr.-Dominique Wilson (McEachern H.S.) chipped in with 9 and 8 points respectively. Up next for the Pistols is “The Final Four”.
The Championship Bracket - “Win or go home”
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| Fr.-Grace Leah Baughn (Wesleyan) (top), Fr.-Erica Norwood (Campbell H.S.) (l) and Fr.-Dominique Wilson (McEachern H.S.) all contributed big time as the Pistols rolled to an easy win. |
Clarksville, TN - Riding the wave of an undefeated record during pool play the Pistols got an early start on Friday morning as they opened the 1st round of play in the championship bracket with an impressive 25 point win over the Dayton Metro out of Ohio.
Freshman Natasha Dixon (Lassiter H.S.) was on fire, torching the Metro for a game high 25 points. She also recorded 7 steals. The Pistols also had three other players who finished in double figures scoring; Fr.-Erica Norwood (Campbell H.S.) with 13 and, Fr.-Grace Leah Baughn (Wesleyan) and Fr.-Dominique Wilson (McEachern H.S.) each added 10. Norwood also dished out 7 assists in 76-41 win.
After a good nights rest the Pistols came back Saturday morning refreshed and ready to roll. Erica Norwood who is the team’s floor general turned her game up another notch as the Pistols blew away Team Pride from Tennessee by a score of 76-48.
Norwood who is one of the best young PG’s in the state of Georgia scored a team high 18 points and dished out 4 assists, oh and she grabbed 4 rebounds. The Pistols got big games from Fr.-Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) and Fr.-Dominique Wilson (McEachern H.S.), each finished in double-figures with 14 and 11 points.
Dixon and 9th Grader- Christen Johnson both did a nice job on the defensive end of the floor; Dixon recorded 4 steals and Johnson 4 blocks. The win propelled the Pistols into the Elite 8 later that afternoon against another team from Tennessee, the Lady Flight Trotters.
Pool Play -“Were dreams begin”
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| Christen Johnson a 6-3 ninth grader (Lovett) haul down 13 rebounds in one game. Celina Rodrigo (Hillgrove H.S.) another ninth grader had a 9 point game and freshman Sarah Durdaller (Walton H.S.) scored 18 points in one ot the Pool Play games. |
Clarksville, TN - The GA Pistols opened up their “Quest for Gold” by going 4-0 during pool play. In their first game they easily disposed of the Tennessee Glory 73-51.
In their second game the Pistols had a tougher time against the low Country Ballers out of South Carolina. Sarah Durdaller a high rising freshman from Walton H.S. dropped 18 points as the Pistols held off the Ballers by a score of 60-55. Durdaller’s teammates 9th Grader-Celina Rodrigo (Hillgrove H.S.) and Fr.-Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) each chipped in with 9 and 8 points respectively.
The Pistols toughest game during pool play came in their third outing against the Dayton Lady Hoopstars out of Ohio; Fr.-Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) continued her outstanding play recording a double-double scoring 12 points and hauling down 10 rebounds. Teammate Fr.-Dominique Wilson (McEachern H.S.) was equally as impressive scoring 18 points and the Pistols needed every one of them to escape with heart stopping 52-50 win. Fr.-Natasha Dixon (Lassiter) dished out 5 assist in the win
Coach Gordon’s squad completed pool play with a perfect 4-0 record by trouncing the Missouri Valley Cyclones by a score of 56-19. Once again it was Brittany Hodges (Campbell H.S.) leading the way; the 6-0 freshman scored a team high 18 points. Christen Johnson a 6-3 ninth grader who attends the Lovett School in Atlanta was a beast on the boards hauling down a game high 13 rebounds. Fr.-Erica Norwood (Campbell H.S.) and Fr.-Grace Leah Baughn (Wesleyan) each contributed in the scoring column with 8 and 7 points respectively.
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