JACKSON – De’Nashia Young made a proclamation just after Lumberton defeated Biggersville 34-33 to advance to the state championship game.
“We are finally going to have a name, and Lumberton is going to be respected!” Young said. “We are going to be in there!
“We are up there! Everybody is going to know us. We are on the map.”
Young’s decree came just after she knocked down two game-winning free throws with less than 20 seconds left in the semifinal game inside of Mississippi Coliseum.
“It was so intense,” Young said. “I could cry right now.
“I’m not really a shooter, so I was so nervous. I had to come through, and I had to pull through for my team. It’s all a team effort.”
The Lady Panthers had scored just one field goal in the fourth quarter, but the sophomore stole the ball and drew a foul to reach the free throw line.
“She has shot free throws really well for us this year,” Lumberton coach Jay Lofton said. “We had confidence in her. Throughout the game, when there were about 20 seconds left, I still felt like we had a chance to get a steal and win the game. It was a really low-scoring fourth-quarter
“If you can come out with a win, scoring four points in the fourth quarter. We’ll take it. Credit that to our defense.”
Just two years ago, Biggersville ended Lumberton’s season in the very same game, but this time, a more experienced Lady Panther team prevailed.
“We are a totally different team now than we were two years ago,” Lofton said. “We were really reliant on one player that year, and we were really young. We have more experience, and I feel like overall, from top to bottom, I feel like we are a better team this year.”
Neither team could find separation throughout the first quarter after the game experienced five ties and four lead changes. Much like the fourth quarter, the second was also low scoring as the two teams combined for seven points, resulting in Biggersville holding a 19-17 lead at halftime.
Spearheading Lumberton’s offense were seniors Kelsey Joseph and sophomore Kali Chavis, who scored 16 and 12 points, respectively.
“They missed a few layups that they normally make, but that happens in this gym with the backdrop,” Lofton said. “Playing in the Final Four is a different game. I don’t feel like we played our best game offensively. It was enough to get one more point to win.”
However, in the second half, Biggersville (19-11) jumped to a 26-20 lead, but Lumberton (24-6) responded with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 30 heading into the final quarter.
“I knew we were going to come back,” said Young, whose team has now won 15 straight games. “We did the same thing in the Simmons game to get here. We already knew we were going to jump back.”
Biggersville knocked down a three-pointer at the start of the fourth, but Lumberton’s defense kept the Lady Lions scoreless for nearly six consecutive minutes and managed to score its four points in the game's final minute.
Lumberton will now face Blue Mountain, which defeated South Delta 69-43 in the semifinals.
“I think the school made it twice to the Final Four, and this would be our third trip to the Final Four. “I know (Blue Mountain is) really good,” Lofton said. “They play about six girls, and that’s similar to us. They are 28-1, and their only loss was to 7A Clinton.
“I made our out-of-district schedule as difficult as possible to try to get us prepared for this moment.”
The Girls Class 1A State Championship game will be played on Thursday with tipoff set for 6 p.m.
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