Gameday Weekly Analysis:
AHSAA Girls Final Four - Class 4A
# 4Good Hope Lady Raiders vs. # 8 St. Michael Catholic Cardinals
Tuesday, February 25.
3:00 p.m. from Legacy Arena at the BJCC
Radio: Live on 92.1 FM via the AHSAA Radio Network
Good Hope: 26 & 5, NW Regional champion
St. Michael: 23 & 3, South Regional winner.
1st meeting:
Good Hope defeated Dora 68 to 53 & Deshler 70 to 50 in NW Regional at Wallace State.
St. Michael defeated Geneva 42 to 29 & Orange Beach 35 to 30 in South Regional.
Good Hope had an 11 game winning streak and is 5 & 0 in the postseason.
St. Michael is 11 & 0 since January.
Good Hope's best victories in the season vs. Deshler, West Point (2), Dora (2), Florence.
St. Michael's best victories in the season vs. Geneva, Orange Beach (3), Gulf Shores.
Key personnel for Good Hope: SG Ava McSwain, PG Ella Gossett, F Sophie Konrad, C Jolee McHan.
Key personnel for St. Michael: F Samantha Kokoszka, C Caroline Callahan. G Molly McDonald.
Analysis:
Good Hope is up tempo, St. Michael is not. They accounted for 42 & 35 points in their wins from the South regional.
Good Hope has scored in its last 4 victories, 72 vs. Danville, 71 vs. Wilson, 68 vs. Dora and 70 vs. Deshler.
Lady Raiders have become a balance scoring unit. McSwain connected for 15 in the regional final, had support of 16 by Konrad, 12 by Lucie Adams, 11 by Lexi Marshall.
Other scoring came from 8 by Gossett, 7 by McHan. GH was 15 of 18 from the line in the 2nd half.
Four new starters will be on the floor for Justin Aby. However, they understand the stature for they got playing time last season when key starters had some injuries going deep into the playoff series.
Chemistry has progressed through the season. Their last loss was to Madison Academy January 9.
They have regrouped and taken care of matters such as a 4th consecutive Cullman County championship, a good postseason run and knocking off well known Deshler for the 2nd straight year.
Winner to face: Winner of semifinal between Plainview, NE champion vs. Trinity Presbyterian, Central winner.
Photo of Good Hope Lady Raiders Lucie Adams (11), Jolee McHan (25), Sophie Konrad (15) and Ella Gossett (24) in the NW Regional championship February 18 at Wallace State.
Photo courtesy of Cullman Daily.
