Becca Ledford’s buzzer beater gives Lady Rebels Final Four win
Becca Ledford hit the biggest two-point basket in recent Fannin County basketball history when she rattled the rim for a two-pointer to give the Lady Rebels a 43-41 win over the Butler Lady Bulldogs.
Ledford hit a layup coming off a steal by Courtney Davis as time expired in the Final Four game in the chase for the AA Girls State Basketball Championship Saturday, March 6, at Fannin County High School.
The Lady Rebels now have a chance to wrap up the fairy-tale like season, having earned the right to play for the state title in Macon, Georgia, Thursday, March 11. Tipoff time is noon.
The Lady Rebels played in front of a packed arena as they hosted the Final Four game Saturday for the first time in school history.
Butler’s Lady Bulldogs jumped out early to a 4-0 lead before Reagan York settled the Lady Rebels down with a two-point basket. Abby Ledford later stole the ball and converted a two-point lay-up to tie the game 4-4 with 4:50 to go in the first quarter.
Butler scored a quick two-pointer before Becca Ledford fought her way to the charity stripe and converted two free-throws to tie the game 6-6 with 3:49 to go in the first. Natalie Thomas drained a contested three-point basket to put Fannin ahead 9-3 with 1:52 on the first quarter clock.
Becca Ledford was fouled and converted one free-throw, and Davis later finessed a two-point basket to end the first quarter with Fannin holding a 12-8 advantage.
Abby Ledford scored two, two-point baskets to start the second quarter before Butler went on a seven-point run, shaving Fannin’s lead to 16-15. Then, Becca Ledford got an offensive board and layed the ball back in for a two-point basket. Davis tossed in two more points off a pump fake to end the first half with Fannin County up 20-15.
The Bulldogs began to grind away at the lead in the third quarter, scoring a quick basket to close the gap at 20-17. Abby Ledford sank a two-point basket, but the Lady Rebels could not shake the Bulldogs who answered to make the score 22-19 at 7:09 to go in the third. Becca Ledford hit a clutch, three-pointer to give the hosts a little breathing room, but it was short lived as Butler ripped off 10 unanswered points. For the first time since early in the game, the Lady Rebels found themselves on the short end of a 29-25 score with 4:12 to go in the third quarter. York buckled down and netted a two-point basket, followed by a three-point basket from Becca Ledford on from the wing to give Fannin a 30-29 lead 1:12 to go in the third.
The Bulldogs reclaimed the lead for a short-lived moment, but Davis nailed a step-back, three-point jumper to put Fannin on top 33-31, which is where the score stood at the end of the third quarter.
Butler scored first to start the final quarter, and after a scoreless possession by the Lady Rebels, the visitors took a 35-33 lead with 6:10 to go in the game. Becca Ledford stepped up and continued what she had accomplished all night, taking over the game scoring a two-point floater to tie the contest at 35-35. Mackenzie Johnson converted two free throws, York scored a two-point basket off an offensive rebound, followed by a two-point floater to give the Lady Rebels a 41-40. At this point, the clock had ticked down to 52 seconds to go in the game.
After Butler was fouled, they converted a free throw to tie the game 41-41 with 38.2 to go.
Fannin failed to score on its next possession, and the Bulldogs threw the ball inbounds with nine seconds left. The inbound pass went to the back court. Butler’s Lauren Brady crossed the halfcourt line. Just outside the head of the key, Davis came away with a critical steal and quickly found Becca Ledford sprinting toward the basket. Davis’s pass was spot on and Ledford hit a layup as the buzzer sounded to punch the Lady Rebels’ ticket to the state championship.