MCHS Into Championship Game

The Lady Eagles basketball team of Montgomery County High School are heading to the State Championship Game after winning their Elite 8 and Final 4 games last week. They defeated Christian Heritage in the Elite 8 and then the #5 ranked team in the state, Clinch County in the Final 4 to punch their ticket to Macon.

MCHS will be taking on the #1 team in the state, Greenforest High out of Decatur, in the Championship Game at the Macon Centreplex at 1:00 p.m. this continued from page

Wednesday.

vs. Heritage Elite 8

The Lady Eagles hosted Heritage on Tuesday of last week and jumped out to an early lead. Miracle Nobles scored the first basket of the game for the Eagles as they went up 2-0. They tied the game at 2-2, and then Amire Banks put MCHS back on top with a free throw.

Marley Bell made it 6-3 with a three-pointer from the top of the key, and then Banks added a three from the wing to give MCHS a 9-3 lead with 3:45 left in the first quarter. MCHS pushed the lead to 13-3 with 1:48 to play in the first after baskets by Bell and Banks.

The Eagles kept up the pressure and were on top 15-6 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Banks got a shot to go, but they closed it to 1714 with a couple of threepointers with 6:23 to play in the first half. They made it 17-16 with 6:11 on the clock, but Bell hit a basket and then Erin Adams pulled down a big rebound and put it back in to extend the lead back to 21-16 with 5:55.

Nobles got another shot to go and then a jumper from Bell made it 26-19 with 4:14 on the clock. Banks got a fastbreak basket after a steal and then a three from Zoe Jordan put the Eagles on top 32-19 with 1:45 left in the first half.

The Eagles were on top 33-23 at the end of the first half of action.

The Eagles outscored the Lady Lions of Heritage 20-16 in the third quarter to give them a 5332 lead heading into the fourth quarter. MCHS went on to take the win, 69-54, to advance to the Final 4.

MCHS was led by Bell with 35 points in the game, Banks added 17, and Adams scored 8 in the win. vs. Clinch Final 4 Clinch County had knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs two of the past three seasons, and MCHS was looking for some payback on Friday afternoon at Fort Valley State University as they again took on the Lady Panthers of Clinch. It was a battle, but MCHS came out on top by four points.

The Eagles came out of the gate and built up a 17-9 lead in the first quarter of the game. MCHS was on top 23-16 with 4:32 to play in the first half. Banks made it 26-18 with a three. Clinch closed the lead to 27-22 with 2:40 on the clock, and it was 27-24 with 2:08 to play. Banks got a free throw to fall, and then she got a steal and a basket to make it 30-24 with just over a minute to go. Banks came up with another steal and made a good move on a fast break to push the MCHS lead to 32-24 with one minute to go. At the end of the first half, the Lady Eagles led Clinch, 32- 24.

At the start of the second half, Banks hit a jumper from 12 feet, and then Bell hit a three to make it 37-24. Bell pushed it to 39-24 with 5:35 to play in the third. It was 39-29 with 4:45 to go, and then they closed it to 41-35 with just under two minutes. Bell hit a runner in the lane, and then hit a shot with two seconds left to put MCHS up 45-39 heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Eagles battled as Clinch tried to make a run, but they held them off to get the win, 61-57.

Bell led the Eagles with 29 points and Banks posted 21 in the win.

MCHS will take their 30-1 record into the Macon Centreplex this Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. to take on the #1 team in the State Greenforest High.

Amire Banks lays one in on a fast break after coming up with a steal in the Final 4.Photo by Mike Branch