Lady Indians 3rd In Region
It was a good run for the Vidalia High School Lady Indians basketball team in the Region 2AA Tournament last week held at VHS. With a couple of wins they came out of the tournament as the #3 seed heading into the GHSA State AA Playoffs.
Vs. Toombs
The Lady Indians kicked off their tournament with a game against rival Toombs County on Tuesday night. VHS led the game 11-6 with 3:22 left in the first quarter of the game. Corianna Warner added to that lead, but Toombs closed the lead to 14-10 with just over a minute to go in the first. Neither team scored in the final minute as VHS led 14-10 heading to the second quarter.
Hannah Nichols hit a basket to get the second underway, and Warner made another basket to make it 18-13 with 7:03 on the clock. Toombs County’s KayKay Mobley put on a show for the Lady Bulldogs on the night and pulled them back to within one, at 18-17.
Baskets by Warner, Nichols and Tymber Harris pushed the lead back out to 24-18, and then Harris made it 26-18 with 4:20 left in the first half. It was 32-18 as VHS went on a run with just two minutes to go in the half.
By the end of the first half of action the Lady Indians were on top 36-18.
With 4:04 left in the third quarter it was 40-21 with VHS well out in front. Mobley helped close that lead to 45-33 by the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth for Toombs, Mobley and Ziayah Griffin pulled the Bulldogs even closer as VHS was holding onto a 47-39, but Kyleigh Johnson pushed that lead back out to 51-50 five minutes left in the game. Carleigh Wardlaw pushed the lead back out to 60-45 with 1:30 left in the game as the Indians looked as if they were going to hold on for the win.
The final score of the game was 64-48 with VHS winning over TCHS. VHS was led by Warner led VHS with 12 points, Johnson added 11, Wardlaw scored 10, Harris posted 10, and Kaliya Walker added 9.
Vs. Woodville
VHS jumped out to a 4-0 lead on the Lady Wolverines, but they came back to tie it at 4-4, and then went on top 7-4. Warner put VHS back on top with a three for a 9-7 lead, and Johnson made it 11-7. VHS was up 13-11 at the end of the first. In the second, though, Woodville was up 22-17, but Warner hit another three to close that to 22-20. But by the end of the first half, it was 30-20 with Woodville on top as they went on a late run.
In the third quarter Wardlaw got a three to go, and then baskets by Warner, Walker, and Johnson made it 33-29. VHS continued their run as they made it a onepoint game at 35-34, and VHS went on top, 37-34, with a three from Walker. And at the end of the third quartet the score was tied 37-37.
Woodville went on a run as they were leading 48-41 with 3:30 left in the contest. With just over three minutes left in the game, there was one big difference for the two teams as Woodville had shot 21 free throws and the Lady Indians to that point had only shot 4.
Woodville pulled away down the stretch to take the win over the Lady Indians 59-45.
Warner led VHS with 21 points and Walker added 12 to lead the Indians.
Vs. Jeff Davis Consolation The loss to Woodville moved the Lady Indians into the Consolation game to battle for third place with Jeff Davis. Warner got the Indians going with two three-pointers for a 6-2 lead. With just over three minutes left in the first, VHS led 9-2, but JD closed that lead to 11-8 with a couple of minutes left in the first. By the end of the period, the Indians were in the lead 15-8. A three by JD made it 15-11, but the Indians went on a run as the first half was winding down to lead 29-17 with 30 seconds on the clock. At the end of the half VHS was leading the Yellow Jackets 29-17. It was 37-20 with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter, and the Indians led 37-22 heading to the final period. With 2:52 to play it was 40-27 with the Indians well out in front. VHS defense shut JD down over the remainder of the game as they took the win, 41-27 and secured the #3 seed coming out of Region 2AA heading into the State Playoffs. Warner led VHS with 14 points and Walker added 8 for VHS in the win.
VHS Head Coach Sissy Anderson said, “These girls came out and responded after the tough loss last night. I am really proud of our defense and the way that they played, that has been our strong suit all year long. They have worked hard all season and to get the #3 seed heading into the State Tournament is good. We are looking forward to what we can do.”
The Lady Indians will take on old rival Laney in the first round of the State Playoffs on Wednesday in Augusta at 6:00 p.m. If they win that game they will play on either Friday or Saturday in the second round.
