WILLIAMSBURG —Pineville’s defensive pressure simply overwhelmed Oneida Baptist Institute in Thursday’s late semifinal at the 13th Region All “A” Classic. The Lady Lions advanced with a 69-32 win that featured a running clock in the fourth quarter.
“It’s big for our program. It’s the second time in three years we’ve made it to the All ‘A’ finals,” said Lady Lions coach Matt Shafer. “Regardless of the draw or anything you still have to win two basketball games and our girls rose up that challenge. We beat a good Williamsburg team and a scrappy OBI team. I’m proud as heck of our girls, they took care of the business that was in front of them.”
Junior forward Devin Enix led a balanced Lady Lions offense with 14 points. Junior center Stacey Washington and freshman guard Erica Gambrell added 12 each while senior Annalee Adams chipped in with eight and Emily Mullins finished with seven.
Oneida Baptist was led by Madison Kehler’s 13 points while Yujay Proctor added seven and Paris Obike six.
Early on the Lady Mountaineers looked like they were ready to make a game of it. A basket from Kehler followed by a steal and layup from Proctor put OBI up 6-2 with 5:05 left in the first quarter.
Mullins converted a three-point play at the 4:31 mark to put the Lady Lions up 8-7 and Gambrell followed that up with a steal and layup of her own. Two free throws by Enix after another Pineville steal stretched the lead to 12-7, but consecutive baskets from Proctor and Obike had the Lady Mountaineers within one point with about 3:20 left in the period.
It was all Pineville from there as they closed the quarter on an 11-2 run. Enix scored six during the spurt while Adams added three points and Barnes scored inside off a nice feed from Mullins as the Lady Lions led 23-13 after one.
“We started out a little flat, maybe didn’t have the intensity we needed to. OBI is scrappy, they do a good job fighting after balls and everything,” Shafer said. “They outworked us going after balls a little bit in that first quarter. But we picked it up, made a couple of substitutes and were able to pull away in that second half.”
Pineville took control of the game with another spurt midway through the second quarter. Gambrell started it with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 31-16, Washington scored on a putback and Adams blocked a shot, ran down the loose ball and got it ahead to Gambrell for a layup. A free throw from Adams made it 36-16 with 3:39 left in the half.
Proctor ended the run with a 3-pointer, but the Lady Lions were up 42-25 at the break.
Kehler opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 3 but Pineville scored the next 22 points to blow the game wide open. Washington scored six points during that run run, while Mullins and Adams added four each. Washington’s basket at the 2:45 mark made it 58-28. Tiffany Sutton and Jillian Enix added buckets as the lead grew to 64-28 before Kehler hit another 3.
Autumn Short scored late in the third quarter as the Lady Lions carried a 66-31 lead into the fourth. The clock ran continuously in the final period and both teams emptied their benches. OBI got a free throw from Kehler and Pineville’s Anna Howard hit a 3 just before the buzzer to set the final at 69-32.
Oneida Baptist (2-6) will host North Laurel on Saturday.
Pineville (11-7) advances to tonight’s championship game where they’ll take on Lynn Camp at 7:30 p.m. in Williamsburg.
It will be the third meeting of the season between the 51st District rivals. Lynn Camp won on their home floor 54-20 back on Dec. 20 then had to rally late to pull out a 59-55 win at Pineville on Dec. 27.
“The last time we played them we were up late in the fourth quarter pressuring the ball. Heck, we know them and they know us. We played each other two or three times in the summer, I talk to coach (Richard) Jones regularly,” Shafer said. “Pineville-Lynn Camp always has been a battle and it’s always going to be a battle. We scrapped during summer ball and it’s going to be a scrap (Friday) night. I’m looking forward to it, though.
“We need to get all of our Pineville faithful to come down here. Our girls really feed off the crowd, especially with the way we play. Let’s pack this gym with maroon and gold because you know Lynn Camp is going to have strong following.”
— — —
Pineville….23…19…24…3 — 69
OBI…………13…12….6….1 — 32
PINEVILLE (69): Devin Enix 14, Stacey Washington 12, Erica Gambrell 12, Annalee Adams 8, Emily Mullins 7, Rachel Barnes 5, Autumn Short 4, Anna Howard 3, Tiffany Sutton 2, Jillian Enix 2, Makayla Keyes 0, Morgan Cornelius 0, Sarah Combs 0, Kallie Gambrel 0, Makenzie Fuson 0.
ONEIDA BAPTIST (32): Madison Kehler 13, Yujay Proctor 7, Paris Obike 6, Ashley Booher 5, Lauren Nichols 1, Chinonso Ibe 0, Jade Ingram 0, Miana Baker 0, Eileen Phocas 0.
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