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Junaluska’s trey sends SM to Western Regional title game
And a little child shall lead them to the 2-A Western Regional finals.
The smallest and one of the youngest players on the court, 5-2 freshman Tasha Junaluska, hit the biggest shot of the season Tuesday as she drained a three-pointer from the right wing as time expired keeping Smoky Mountain’s unbeaten season alive with a 52-49 win over East Davidson in the Regional semifinals at the Joel Coliseum Annex in Winston-Salem.
Jackson County’s newest athletic hero, freshman Tasha Junaluska, is hoisted onto the shoulders of her teammates moments after her three-pointer as time expired lifted the Lady Mustangs to a 52-49 win over East Davidson in Tuesday’s Western Regional semifinals. – Photo by Mark Haskett
With everyone in the arena expecting Cetera DeGraffenreid to take the final shot, she instead passed to Junaluska for the game-winner that set off celebrations on the court with the players and cheerleaders and in the stands with fans.
“Everybody was on me and nobody was on Tasha so I decided to pass it to that 5-2 freshman,” DeGraffenreid said.
“I didn’t expect for me to be the one to hit the winning shot,” Junaluska told the media.
Coach Cindi Simmons said Jackson County’s newest athletic hero painted a different picture to her teammates immediately after the game.
“She said ‘I knew I was open and I said Cetera give me the ball,’ ” Simmons said.
The Lady Mustangs overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win. They pulled it out despite managing just two points in a span of more than eight minutes during the second and third quarters.
“I’m real proud of our kids and the heart they showed,” Simmons said. “I never quit believing in our kids.”
With Coach Sylva Hatchell of nationally top-ranked North Carolina looking on, DeGraffenreid scored 26 points. Ashley Robinson added 11.
Freshman Anna Freeman had a big night for East Davidson as she scored 19 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. Anna Dellapenta netted 14 points.
Laury Brown led SM in rebounding with eight.
The Lady Mustangs will meet Salisbury (26-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Coliseum Annex for the Regional title. The winner will play for the state championship Saturday, March 11, at Raleigh’s Reynolds Coliseum.
The Lady Hornets had limited opponents to less than 34 points per game prior to Tuesday’s 52-50 win over Mountain Heritage. They are in the Regionals for the third straight year and won the state title in 2004.
Things looked bleak Friday when East took a 43-36 lead on Dellapenta’s driving layup with 6:45 remaining.
Five points from DeGraffenreid and Robinson’s inside basket produced a 43-43 tie at the 4:56 mark.
The Lady Eagles regained the lead at 45-43 on two Freeman foul shots with 4:34 on the clock. Her two free throws made it 49-45 at the 1:30 mark.
DeGraffenreid tied it when she made one of two foul shots with 26 seconds left.
East called time out to set up a potential game-winning shot, but DeGraffenreid foiled that strategy by stealing the ball with 17 seconds left. When three defenders came at her, she calmly pulled the ball out and let the clock run down until passing to Junaluska for the game-winner.
East led 39-34 after the third period. SM managed just five points in the quarter with DeGraffenreid held scoreless.
The Lady Eagles hit six three-pointers in the first half.
“We knew they had some good shooters, but they shot the ball extremely well,” Simmons said.
Two early treys by Freeman put her team up 8-3 with 5:47 to go in the opening period.
Ten unanswered points, including five by DeGraffenreid, helped SM take a 13-8 edge on Robinson’s basket at the 3:18 mark.
The Lady Mustangs led 15-14 at the quarter break.
DeGraffenreid reeled off seven straight points, and Ashley Coggins’ three-pointer capped a 10-2 spurt for a 27-22 lead with 4:46 remaining in the half.
SM scored just two points the rest of the quarter. Alyssa Cutshaw’s basket with 12 seconds to go allowed the Lady Eagles to pull into a 29-29 tie at intermission.
DeGraffenreid hit 11 field goals, including a trio of three-pointers, and a foul shot. Robinson made five field goals and a free throw.
Junaluska finished with six points, Amy Haggard netted four, Coggins scored three and Kelli Woodard had two.
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