AHSAA 5A Area 15 girls championship:
Russellville 11 11 14 13 - 49 (18 & 12)
West Point 19 15 10 10 - 54 (26 & 1)
WP: Camryn Faulkner 20, Patton Fell 10, Kealie Harbison 8, Laklin Shadix 6, Jaelyn Faulkner 7,Caitlee Simmons 3.
Russellville: Ella Copeland 24, Laila Hill 14, Angeleah Smith 8.
GDW Analysis:
With over 3:00 left in the 3rd, West Point gained a 44 to 28 lead on a 3 point play by Camryn Faulkner.
A very good performance was on display by the Lady Warriors despite having Shadix in foul trouble and Harbison overcoming an injury late in the 2nd. However, Russellville did not surrender with the Golden Tigers showing they had much more than one weapon in shooting guard Ella Copeland.
Copeland, who tallied 29 against West Point on January 16 in a 66 to 49 loss at Jim Boyd Gym, accounted for 18 through three periods of play.
Supporting her in this game was Hill in the post who scored 3 key FGs in the 4th and finished with 14 while
Smith tossed in 3 FGs in the 3rd, one being a trey.
A difference in the title game was Smith and Hill missed 4 FTs together in the final period.
After the Faulkner basket put West Point ahead by 16, Russellville then scored the next 12 points and closed to 44 to 40 early in the 4th.
Shadix, a spectator for the 2nd period and 6:00 of the 3rd due to 3 fouls she sustained in the opening period, scored for the first time to make it 46 to 40.
Copeland would carry the Golden Tigers in the 4th by netting 4 of 4 FTs and a FG. Her last 2 points from the line got them within a point at 50 to 49 with 0:32 remaining.
Jaelyn Faulkner nailed two from the line for it to be 52 to 49 at 0:25. Her sister sealed the 26th straight victory for the No. 4 team in Class 5A with a pair from the line at 0:05.
For the game, West Point was 13 of 14 from the line with the Faulkner sisters combing for 9 out of 9. Camryn hit 7 with Jaelyn scoring 2 in the closing seconds.
This is the 4th consecutive season John Welborn's Lady Warriors have won an area championship. Their record in this span is 90 & 25.
West Point will host a sub regional at 6:00 p.m. Friday against the runner up from 5A Area 13 in either Boaz or Sardis. They play for the area title Tuesday in Sardis.
Photo of West Point center Laklin Shadix (1) battling Russellville center Laila Hill (11) and guard Angeleah Smith in a game at Jim Boyd Gymnasium January 16.
Photo courtesy of April Shadix.
