4SHOT Hoops
5A Finals - Redan vs. Stephenson (Girls)
By Larry "L.A." Williams
Mar 7, 2008, 08:10 EST

GHSA Girls Class 5A Championship Game

Redan vs. Stephenson

The Arena Gwinnett Center – Duluth, GA

Stephenson wins 2nd Class 5A Championship

Williams and Turnbow lead Lady Jaguars in title win.

If you are a Lady Jaguars fan ...you already know. The picture speaks for itself. In both cases Coach Watkins saw this ending for both of these outstanding players before it happened.

Duluth, GA - I would like to say that Redan’s youth and inexperience played a big role in their Class 5A Championship loss to their rivals from Stephenson and to some extent it may have, but in reality at the end of the day it was Stephenson’s talent and aggressive play led by 4SHOT Hoops All-Stars Jylisa Williams and Taylor Turnbow that gave Head Coach Dennis Watkins and his Lady Jaguars their 2nd Class 5A State Championship in 4 years (Stephenson also win in 2004).

Being division and backyard rivals there was nothing either team didn’t already know about one another that was going to make a difference in the way the game was going to be played and the early 6-6 tie was indicative of that. Baskets by Turnbow and Yasheeka Jones just before the end of the first quarter gave Stephenson a 14-8 lead.

In the second quarter Stephenson turned up their defensive pressure and that forced Redan into some costly turnovers and you could get a sense that it was starting to be a case of déjà vu for the Lady Raiders.

Redan's two young starting guards Fr.-Kierra Paige (l) and So-Alisha Andrews (r) were totally frustrated. Young ladies no matter whatthe situations always keep your head in the game.

In Redan’s two regular season losses to Stephenson the same pattern of events took place, they stayed close early, then the Stephenson pressure, missed shots and youthful frustrations. I would call that a case of déjà vu …wouldn’t you Washington.

The shots that had been falling all tournament long for the Lady Raiders were not falling now and like the previous two meeting Redan’s youthful frustration started creeping in, especially in the case of their two starting guards, So-Alisha Andrews and Fr.-Kierra Paige. Head Coach Rhonda Malone kept trying to settle her two future all-stars down but already it was too late, they didn’t hear a thing….that’s real talk.

With all the frustration Redan’s young players were having it was just the opposite for Stephenson. Jr.-Kayla Atkins and So.-Hiydaayah Williams who both have all-stars written all over them hit the court playing like seasoned veterans. Atkins knocked down a pair of jumpers as Stephenson built up a 20-8 lead.

Nothing was going right for Redan as the Lady Jaguars continued to turn up the heat. Turnbow, who had a monster game in the paint scored on another put-back to give Stephenson a 31-14 lead heading into the half.

The third quarter was no kinder to the Lady Raiders as the struggled to score 6 points. Jones and H. Williams both scored a pair of baskets for Stephenson as the lead grew to twenty, 43-20.

Stephenson Jr. Kayla Atkins is next in line to run the point next season...we see ya' Kayla!

To Redan’s credit they didn’t just throw in the towel, Nia Evans showed why she is one of the top sophomores around scoring 9 points in the forth quarter and Jr.-Quortni Fambro who due to a knee injury didn’t start playing until the last week of the regular season showed a small glimpse of what made her one of the top freshman in the state a couple of seasons ago when she played for Cedar Grove H.S.

Down the stretch Coach Watkins substituted freely and as the finally seconds on the clock ticked off he watched as his Lady Jaguars hit the floor in jubilation, celebrating their 2008 Class 5A Championship victory.

The Final Score: Stephenson 58 – Redan 43.

Scoring Recap

Stephenson: Jylisa Williams led Stephenson with 15 points. Yasheeka Jones and Hiydaayah Williams each finished with 10 and Taylor Turnbow chipped in with 8.

Redan: Nia Evans paced Redan with 15, Alisha Andrews added 9 and Delia Brunson chipped in with 6.

The Stephenson Cheerleaders

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