2008-09 GHSA State Championships
2009 GHSA Class 4A Finals
Fayette County “Lady Tigers” vs. Southwest DeKalb “Lady Panthers”
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| It was like DEJA VU for Coach Walton and her assistant coaches. |
The Gwinnett Area – Duluth, GA
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| SWD's Kayla Lewis led the Lady Panthers with 16 points |
Duluth, GA – The Lady Panthers from Southwest DeKalb are the defending state champions and they came out and played like it as they knocked off the No.1 ranked and undefeated Lady Tigers from Fayette County to repeat as the Class 4A State Champions.
You could feel the excitement in the Gwinnett Arena as Fayette County and Southwest DeKalb squared off in the Class 4A State Championship game for the second time in as many years.
When Fayette County’s Tessah Holt, a candidate for the 4SHOT Hoops “Player of the Year” opened the game with a long three-pointer and SWD’s Kajuanna Rivers responded with a three of her own, you knew it was on “Up in Here”.
The early battle in the paint was something to keep an eye on as Sasha Sims and Anma Onyeuku from Fayette County battle SWD’s Laquisha Lewis, Jamesha Blake and Kayla Lewis, who is also a candidate for the 4SHOT Hoops “Player of the Year”.
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| Tessah Holt is a real leader in every sense of the word and a classact on top of that. Lady Gators you got a good one. |
The game was played at a fast pace as the teams took turns scoring. The Lady Panthers couldn’t stop Holt but I think that SWD’s Head Coach Kathy Walton knew that going in, so her plan was to make sure that someone was always in front of her making her work at both ends of the floor; that job went to junior Alondra Rivers, who did an outstanding job. Coach Walton would switch up and also put the much taller but athletic Jamesha Blake in front of Holt and at the end of the day it would pay off.
A basket by Lewis at the end of the quarter would give the Lady Panthers a 13-11 lead.
Two free-throws by Lewis at the start of the second quarter gave SWD a 16-13 lead; Onyeuku, who played inspired basketball came right back and scored inside to make it 16-15.
SWD had a big advantage with their bench; reserves Chance Dunn, Chyna Miley and Oliva Gibbs all did a nice job. Gibbs, who is just a freshman, drilled a deep three-pointer to put the Lady Panthers up 19-15 with 4:52 left in the half. SWD would extend their lead to 23-15 as Miley and Blake scored.
Fayette County didn’t go undefeated for no reason; Sims scored six straight points for the Lady Tigers as they cut the lead to 24-21 heading into the half.
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| SWD reserve Chance Dunn did a great job off the bench. |
In the third quarter fouls began to plaque Fayette County as Onyeuku picked up her third foul and was forced to take a seat on the bench. The Lady Panthers took advantage of Onyeuku absence as they seize total control of the glass.
When Dunn knocked down a jumper to put SWD up 38-27 with 2:02 left in the third quarter Fayette County Head Coach John Strickland was forced to call a time out to settle his team down.
Holt would respond knocking down a three-pointer but so would the Lady Panthers; Ka. Lewis would post up Onyeuku, who had re-entered the game and forced her into picking up her forth foul. Lewis would hit both of her free-throws to give SWD a 40-32 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Fouls would continue to plaque Fayette County and SWD would continue to knock down their free-throws as the lead grew to 46-33.
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| The Fayette County dou of Sasha Sima and Anma Onyeuku return for one more season next year. |
Holt and Sims continued to carry the scoring load for the Lady Tigers as the cut the lead to 48-42 with 2:55 left to play.
Over the last 2:00 minutes SWD did a great job of controlling the boards and the clock; Ka. Lewis and Blake would both knock down a pair of free-throws as the Lady Panthers began to celebrate; as time clicked off the clock their fans stood and applauded as the Southwest DeKalb “Lady Panthers” won their second consecutive Class 4A State Championship.
The Final Score:
Southwest DeKalb 59 – Fayette County 46
Scoring Recap
Southwest DeKalb: Kayla Lewis scored 16 points to lead the Lady Panrhers, Jamesha Blake and Laquisha Lewis both added 10. Alondra Rivers finished with 9 and sister Kajuanna Rivers had 7.
Fayette County: Tessah Holt scored a game high 17 to pace the Lady Tigers. Anma Onyeuku added 13 and Sasha Sims finished with 12.
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