Thirty-two minutes of playing time after the opening tipoff, the Fannin County Lady Rebels celebrated as the Region 7AA girls basketball champions Friday night, February 18, in the Fannin High School gym.
The Lady Rebels had just defeated the Chattooga Lady Indians from Summerville for the third time this season, this time by a 46-38 margin. Earlier contests saw Fannin win 77-47 at home, and 80-32 on the Lady Indians’ home floor.
The Region Championship tourney win was the Lady Rebels’ 24th win this season, and it secured their spot as the home team in the first round of the state playoffs, which began last night, Tuesday, February 22.
The first quarter Friday night saw the Lady Rebels’ defense open the game in normal fashion, holding Chattooga to seven points. But the shots would just not fall for the Fannin offense.
The Lady Indians put up three points before Becca Ledford found the bottom of the net from the top of the key. Chattooga added two points, only to see Ellie Cook swish a three pointer to tie the game at 5-5 with two minutes to go in the first.
Chattooga added two more points before Ledford and Reagan York each added two points to Fannin’s side of the scoreboard for a 9-7 advantage at the buzzer.
The Lady Rebels picked up their offensive pace in the second period, scoring 17 behind five points from Ava Queen, four each from Cook and Courtney Davis, a three from Riley Reeves and a foul shot by Ledford. Fannin led by 12 points, 24-12, during the period.
Fannin’s defense kept the pressure on, holding the Lady Indians to eight points and helping Fannin post a 26-15 lead at the half.
The third quarter was almost a mirror image of the first period, this time the visitors outscoring the Lady Rebels 9-8. Davis posted a three and a foul shot, and Cook and Queen added two points each, but the Indians gained a point worth of ground to trail 34-24 at the end of the third.
The final period was another low-scoring eight minutes of basketball, with the Lady Indians gaining two more points by scoring 14-12 for the Lady Rebels.
But, in the end, the championship rested securely in the hands of Fannin County.
Davis, with 13 points, was the only Lady Rebel to break double figures, as seven players put points on the scoreboard.
FCHS 9 17 8 12 - 46
CHS 7 8 9 14 - 38
Lady Rebel summary:
Points: Davis 13, Cook 9, Queen 9, Ledford 7, O’Neal 3, Reeves 3, York 2.
Free throws: Davis 5-9, Cook 0-3, Ledford 1-2.