Columbia vs. Dunwoody

4SHOT Sports

2008-09 Girls Hoops
Columbia vs. Dunwoody
By Larry "L.A." Williams
Feb 22, 2009, 04:47 EST

Region 5-3A Championship Game - Girls
Coulmbia "Lady Eagles" vs. Dunwoody "Lady Wildcats"

Dunwoody wins Region Title

Big free-throws key Lady Wildcats win

Columbia H.S. – Decatur, GA

Kristin Nash looks to drive pass Columbia's Ebony Johnson.

Decatur, GA – The Lady Wildcats from Dunwoody H.S. didn’t complete their one-n-ones down the stretch but they knocked down the front-end of those one-n-ones when they needed them and held off home standing Columbia to capture the 2009 Region 5-3A Championship.

There was a lot of pressure on the Columbia Lady Eagles playing for the region championship in their own gym in front of a packed house and it showed as they struggled to find any rhythm early in the first quarter.

Dunwoody would open up an early 7-2 lead as Kristin Nash and Christin Brower both drilled three-pointers. Columbia did regroup behind the play of Destinee Smith and Jemimah Ashby, cutting the lead to 10-8 at the end of the first-quarter.

6-0 sophomore Kelly Dwyer did a nice job inside for Dunwoody, her basket gave the Lady Wildcats a 12-10 lead as the second quarter got underway.

Columbia's Destinee Smith is a very good looking junior.

Columbia would counter with a basket from their 6-4 junior Akila McDonald to make it 12-10. If Columbia is going to make a real challenge for the state championship then McDonald is really going to have to concentrate when she is on the floor and play tough the entire game because not to many teams have anyone that matches up with her if she really wants to dominate the paint.

Nash, a senior who has committed to D-1, Belmont University (Atlantic Sun Conference) in Nashville, TN showed her senior leadership and her calming influence on the team as she ran the point; her second three-pointer of the game would give Dunwoody a 15-12 lead with 5:49 left in the half.

The teams would trade baskets back and forth before Dunwoody would take a 21-16 lead into the half.

Christin Brower hit some big shots for Dunwoody

In the third quarter Dunwoody appeared to have real control of the game as they opened up a 25-16 lead; but then the Columbia fans got loud and the Lady Eagles would respond, especially freshman Zuri Frost and Smith. Smith’s baseline jumper cut the lead to 25-18 and then a few minutes Frost would stick a three-pointer from the corner to cut it to three, 28-25.

Columbia would have several chances to tie or take the lead as the quarter ran down but they would miss several easy shots. Dunwoody would hold on to take a 29-25 lead at the end of the quarter.

A pair of baskets by Smith at the start of the forth quarter would cut Dunwoody’s lead to 29-27 as the Lady Eagles bench erupted.

Dunwoody senior Madeline Teissler is a good player but she had been rather quite until she scored to slow Columbia’s advance and give the Lady Wildcats a 32-27 lead with just 3:51 left to play.

The Frost Sisters (Mecca #13 and Zuri #23) can make things chilli for opposing teams.

With the gym now rocking the intensity and excitement of the game went to another level. Ashby’s three-point play would cut the Dunwoody lead to one, 35-34 with 1:33 to play.

Nash would hit the two free-throws to make it 37-34, then Smith would score on a driving lay-up to cut it to 37-36.

With just :44 seconds to play a Columbia foul would send Nash to the line where she would hit 1 of 2 free-throws to make it 38-36. Nash would repeat the same act a few seconds later to make it 39-36.

With time running down Columbia had several good looks at a three-pointer that would tie the game but they just couldn’t put the ball in the basket. As the final seconds ran off the clock tears of “Joy and Pain”, Sunshine and Rain…oh my bad got a little carried away with some Frankie Beverly; started to flow as Dunwoody went on to captured the 2009 Region 5-3A Championship.

Both teams advance to the 1st round of the state playoffs starting next Friday.

The Final Score:

Dunwoody 39 – Columbia 36

Scoring Recap

Dunwoody: Kristin Nash scored 13 points to lead Dunwoody; Christin Brower added 7 and Camille Wingo chipped in with 5.

Columbia: Destinee Smith finished with 13 points to pace Columbia; Zuri Frost added 10 and Jemimah Ashby 9.

It's never easy when you loose any kind of championship.