Infignos Media - Anniston falls in regional tourney for 3rd straight year

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Anniston falls in regional tourney for 3rd straight year

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Anniston led by four after three quarters but wound up losing to Oneonta 43-37 in overtime in the semifinals of the AHSAA Class 4A Northeast Regional basketball tournament Friday afternoon at Pete Matthews Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs, who had won their previous 14 games, had their season ended at the regional for the third year in a row after advancing to the state championship game in 2009.

“The region’s been the hardest thing to get out of the last three or four years,” Anniston coach Eddie Bullock said.

“It’s just the luck of the draw. You win the area (and sub-regional), and then you draw the No. 2 team in the state. They were 33-0 for a reason. Just a few balls here and there you know.”

Third-ranked Anniston (28-2) was up two with 21 seconds to play in regulation when senior Tiakeefah Huguley missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Oneonta’s Destiney Elliot missed a 3-pointer that could’ve been the game-winner with 10 seconds remaining but teammate Madison Boyd collected the offensive rebound and was fouled by Quanetria Bolton on the way up.

She sank the first free throw when Bullock called a timeout in an attempt to ice her. But she knocked down the second one as well to knot the game at 33.

Oneonta couldn’t get up a last-second heave after Huguley was whistled for her fourth foul, a charge on a drive to the basket just before, to send the game into overtime.

Oneonta got things going early in the extra period when sophomore Abby Blackwood stroked a 3-pointer from the corner to give her team a needed boost.

“I knew it was real big,” Blackwood said. “I knew I had to step up and hit a big shot for us because they we retrying to guard up on Destiney.”

Blackwood led Oneonta with 15 points, including 2-for-3 shooting from deep. Elliot posted a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing as many rebounds, including five on the offensive glass, to go along with four assists.

Dimonique Sanders added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Redskins who stayed perfect at 34-0 on the season.

“I’m just super proud of the way the girls played,” Oneonta coach Amber Deline said. “They did everything I asked them to do. Point of emphasis was boxing out. Anniston’s huge on the boards. Also, us controlling the tempo and not playing their tempo.”

Huguley led all scorers with 22 points on 8-for-18 shooting to go along with five rebounds and a steal. Sophomore Quanetria Bolton added nine points and Calishia Parker had 11 rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs.

Anniston held a slim 16-14 at the half. Huguley dominated in the third quarter, scoring nine of the Lady Bulldogs 11 points and assisting to help them build a 24-23 advantage.

“I was just more aggressive,” she said of her play in the second half.

The bottom fell out in overtime for the Lady Bulldogs when Huguley had to leave the game for good after picking up her fifth foul with her team down 39-37 and 1:02 remaining.

“She’s a tough player. She shoots the ball like a guy,” Deline said of Huguley. “It’s hard for our girls to defend that. They did a great job against her. Keeping her to 22, I’m ecstatic with that. I know that’s crazy to say but she’s that good.”

The Lady Redskins will face fifth-ranked Jacksonville (28-4) in the regional final today at 12:20 p.m. The Lady Golden Eagles, Area 10 runners-up to Anniston, defeated Springville 71-40 in its semifinals match to advance earlier in the day.

“I’ve seen Jacksonville play three times this year and they’re a great team,” Deline said. “They’ve got a great point guard in Lacey (Buchanon) and Sharon (Osterbind) is a good post. They’re roll players do a good job. We’ve got our hands full tomorrow.”

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Keywords: Anniston, Oneonta, semifinals, regional, basketball

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