2008-09 NCHSA Championships
NCHSA Class 4A Western Region Finals
Butler “Lady Bulldogs” vs. West Charlotte “Lady Lions”
West Charlotte stops Butler
Caldwell goes off for 28
Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, NC
 |
| Christal Caldwell scored 28 points and was named the games MVP. |
Greensboro, NC – The memory of having lost two other games to the nationally ranked Butler “Lady Bulldogs” this season was quickly erased as Christal Caldwell (Univ. of Florida signee) dropped 28 to lead the West Charlotte “Lady Lions” to a big win to capture the Class 4A Western Region Championship.
The first quarter was a see-saw affair; having already played each other twice the teams were very familiar with one another so there was no feeling out process they got right after it.
After an early 6-6 tie West Charlotte ran off six straight points, four by Caldwell to take a 12-4 lead. Cierra Burdick, Butler’s outstanding 6-2 sophomore scored back-to-back baskets to cut the lead to 12-8
Caldwell would score again before the end of the quarter and teammate Trena Moore-Smith would add a three-pointer to beat the buzzer to give the Lady Lions a 15-10 lead.
 |
| Cierra Burdick a 6-2 sophomore in the real deal. |
Jumpers by Butler’s Celeste Stewart and Clair Watkins closed the gap to one, 15-14 as the second quarter got underway. Burdick would tie the game a few moments later when she hit 1 of 2 free-throws.
A late 6-2 West Charlotte run would give the Lady Lions a 31-25 halftime lead.
Burdick showed off her versatility by stepping outside to drill a three as the third quarter got underway, cutting the West Charlotte lead to three, 31-28.
Butler’s D-1 backcourt of Jaquaria Forney (UNC Charlotte signee) and Celeste Stewart (East Carolina signee) picked up their play in the second half as they found themselves battling a hungry bunch of Lady Lions.
 |
| Trena Morre-Smith sent a Butler defender flying with this move. |
West Charlotte was really on a mission, especially Caldwell who had struggles in the two earlier meetings against Butler. After the Lady Bulldogs had cut the lead to 35-34 she scored back-to-back baskets to put West charlotte up five, 39-34.
Butler which was ranked nationally would battle back again and cut the lead to 42-40 as the third quarter came to an end.
Burdick’s two free-throws tied the game at 42-42 at the start of the forth quarter.
Moore-Smith really played a big time game for west Charlotte in the forth quarter, she was all over the floor and gave Butler fits with a couple of big steals that she converted into baskets to make the score 52-45 with 3:05 left to play.
 |
| Jaquaria Forney (l) and backcourt mate Celeste Stewart have both signed to play D-1 ball next season. |
Burdick would hit a pair of free-throws to cut the lead to 54-49 but after that it was all Caldwell and West Charlotte. It was only fitting that senior’s Nikki Burton (a Univ. of Louisville signee) and Caldwell scored the last two baskets of the game as the Lady Lions knock off mighty Butler to win the Western Region Championship. West Charlotte now advances on to the state championship game.
Caldwell scored a game high 28 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and recorded 4 steals enroot to being named the games “Most Valuable Player”
The All-Tournament Team
Cierra Burdick (Butler), Trena Moore-Smith (West Charlotte), Nikki Burton (West Charlotte), Jaquaria Forney (Butler) and Danaira Erwin-Spencer (East Mecklenburg)
The Final Score:
West Charlotte 66 – Butler 54
Box Score
© Copyright 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 by 4SHOT Sports
Return to the top of the page
|
