GDW Analysis:
HANCEVILLE: Holly Pond Lady Broncos experienced too many turnovers that Lauderdale County Lady Tigers took advantage and to win the AHSAA Northwest Regional 3A championship Friday by the score of 42 to 28.
Through 16:00 of play, the Lady Broncos were right in contention of trying to upend the No. 1 team in 3A hoops that had 31 wins out of 32 games coming to Tom Drake Coliseum.
Gameday Weekly reported 9 turnovers by the Lady Broncos during the 3rd with Lauderdale County outscoring the Area 11 champion 13 to 5.
An 18 to 14 lead at the half for Lauderdale County became a 31 to 19 lead going to the final period.
Millie McBee scored on a jumper at the 3:50 mark and the Lady Broncos were down 35 to 28.
Mary Hartline's team did not score the rest of the way. A 7 to 0 run by Lauderdale enabled the Lady Tigers to win the regional title for the first time since 2020.
Lauderdale lost the last two regional finals to Clements before getting it done and having the best record of all girls teams in the AHSAA this year, 32 wins out of 33 games.
McBee led the Lady Broncos with 14 points, Madison Butts had 6, Maggie Nail 3, Sadie Nail 3, Blakely Baggett 2.
The Lady Broncos were without junior forward Ava Thomas, out for the rest of the season following an ACL injury last week in a sub regional game with Colbert County.
Butts and Nail were named to the all tournament team.
Lauderdale's Shila Marks was selected the MVP. Marks, who popped in 39 during the semifinal game vs. Mars Hill, collected 19 in the title game, making 7 of 8 from the line.
Holly Pond's season at 21 & 9 is the best in three years the team has been coached by Hartline.
Only one senior will be gone from this team, forward Alaina Phillips.
All others are to return and Thomas should be ready to go in her quest to recover from her injury.
Photo of Holly Pond Lady Bronco PG Madison Butts. Butts was named to the regional all tournament team.
Photo courtesy of Martha Needham.
