HINESVILLE — Ware County proved its mettle here Saturday afternoon beating top-seed and state-ranked Bradwell Institute 57-49 to capture the Region 1-AAAAA championship.
The third-seed Lady Gators (19-7) never trailed over the last 26:32 of the game vs. the No. 2 MaxPreps and No. 5 Atlanta Journal-Constituion Lady Tigers (21-4) after CoCo Moody’s (eight points, two treys) three-point shot gave Ware County an 8-7 lead with 2:32 left in the opening period.
The victory gives Ware County a first round home and a possible second round game The Lady Gators hosted Region 2 fourth-seed Jones County Tuesday, February 21. A win would pit Ware County against the winner of Region 3 third-seed McIntosh and Region 4 runner-up Arabia Mountain.
“This is a big win,” said head coach Mandy Ligenfelter afterwards. “These girls have worked their butts off since Halloween. They just kept driving and kept getting better. We had some tough breaks during the season, but they kept working.”
The Lady Gators would eventually open up a 17-point advantage inside the opening minute of the final period at 50-33 following baskets by Charlacia Jones (team-high 14 points) and Charlese McClendon (13 points).
Bradwell Institute responded with an 11-0 run over a 3:20 span taking advantage of a sudden cold-shooting spell and a plethora of turnovers by the Lady Gators to get to within 50-44 with 3:45 to play. Several of Ware County’s shot were forced as the Lady Gators worked the ball deep into the 35-second shot clock.
Two technical foul shots by Trinity Jenkins (11 points, trey) ended a drought of 3:36 by Ware County pushing the margin out to 52-44 with 3:29 to play. Jones followed with a second chance basket 25 seconds later for a 10-point advantage at the three-minute mark.
The Lady Tigers scored a two-point basket and a three-pointer from Taniyah Bowman (game-high 17 points) to close the deficit to 54-49 with 56 seconds remaining.
Ware County scored the final three points from the free throw line after grabbing defensive rebounds to put the game away as the host missed three desperation threes over the final 40 seconds.
Bradwell Institute scored the first five points of the game before putback by McClendon and a three from the right corner by Jenkins evened the score at 5-apiece with 3:15 remaining in the opening stanza. The Lady Tigers grabbed their final lead of the game at 7-5 on the ensuing trip down the floor.
Ware County outscored the home team 7-4 over the final 2:32 to take a 12-11 lead into the second period. A three by Moody to open the quarter was followed by two offensive putbacks by the Lady Tigers evening the score at 15-apiece.
After an exchange of baskets, the Lady Gators took the lead for good at 19-17 midway through the second stanza on a power move by McClendon. Ware County pushed the margin out to 29-21, its biggest lead of the first half, on a Jenkins trey 20 seconds before intermission. Bradwell Institute countered with a trey just before the horn to close the margin to 29-24.
Leading 36-28 after a Jones’ basket with 4:24 left in the third period, Ware County followed with three more baskets to open up a 42-28 lead, the biggest of the night, just inside two minutes remaining. The Lady Gators eventually took a 46-33 lead into the final eight minutes.
Rhianna Mateyka joined Moody with eight points. Alexis McNeal contributed a three-pointer.
