GDW Analysis:
BIRMINGHAM: After halftime, the nerves settled down for the Cold Springs Lady Eagles and the confidence soared like their nickname to topple an athletic Lanett Lady Panthers team 55 to 43 in the AHSAA Final Four Monday afternoon.
Cold Springs led 22 to 15 at the break, but was struggling in making shots as the Lady Eagles were 8 of 24. They also had 7 turnovers that led to a few scores by Lanett.
In the 3rd, Paige Adams' squad began to find their touch, making 7 of 13 and 4 of 4 from the FT line for a 20 to 11 advantage in getting the lead to as many as 20 points in the stanza.
Cold Springs led 42 to 26 with 8:00 remaining to be finished.
Lanett was able to get on a 7 to 0 run and trail 42 to 33 with 5:17 left when the Lady Panthers scored a 3 point FG.
Ella Dickerson stepped up as she normally does for the Lady Eagles in crunch time. A three by Dickerson got the margin to 45 to 33 at 4:40 and the Lady Eagles played poise basketball the rest of the way.
"My teammates believe in me," Dickerson said on the 3 that she called a very big score for her group."
Dickerson would produce 22 points Monday on 8 of 17, 2 of 5 treys and 4 of 4 at the line.
Huge efforts by Macie Huffstutler, Hollyn Bruer and Kaydance Williams on the boards was very much a key to the 23rd victory in Adams' first season with her alma mater.
Huffstutler wound up with 7 but gathered a game high 9 rebounds and had 5 assists.
Bruer played 28:00, avoided foul issues in getting 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
Williams made her time count off the bench with 7 rebounds to go with 6 points on the agenda.
Adams said this effort from these three to go with the normal scoring by Dickerson played a great role in facing a group she said that played with good speed and try to make the Lady Eagles chaotic.
"We had to play a physical game with them and we did." Adams added. "We have been kind of soft playing this way before."
Cold Springs utilized its zone defense of packing it so Lanett could not attack efficiently through dribble penetration. The Lady Panthers were only 4 of 17 in threes and shot 16 of 56 for the semifinal.
The Lady Eagles hot 19 of 44 shots, 5 of 17 from downtown and 12 of 14 at the line for 85 percent.
Now the Lady Eagles will be in the 2A state title game Friday at 9:00 a.m. from Legacy Arena.
The game will be live on 92.1 FM.
Photo of Cold Springs' PG Paizley Whitlow in the AHSAA Northwest Regional final February 23 vs. Belgreen at Wallace State CC.
Photo courtesy of Martha Needham.
