Lady Rebels advance to Elite Eight; Boys claim area title
BY KATIE MCELVY
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE —
Varsity Girls
In the last regular season game of the year, the varsity girls hosted Hooper. Four three pointers by Madison Stanford in the first quarter put an end to the early Hooper lead and put Chambers on top 18-13. A pair of baskets each by Cate Allen and Emmalee Jackson increased the Lady Rebel lead. MeLeah Tigner finished off the scoring in the first half as the Lady Rebels led 34-23. Much of Chambers’ success in the first half came on the back of stellar defensive play. The Hooper Lady Colts really struggled against the press.
The Lady Rebels led by as many as 16 in the third, but Hooper went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to single digits. Chambers maintained a 45-38 lead going into the final period of play.
Hooper changed to a halfcourt press in the fourth. The Lady Rebels began to turn the ball over. Hooper tied it up at 53 all with less than a minute to go. A quick Stanford basket gave Chambers back the lead. Hooper tied it up with two seconds left to force overtime.
With less than a minute to go in overtime, the Lady Rebels led 62-59. Hooper came back within one with 20 seconds left. Hooper had the ball with 5 seconds to go with the game on the line. Emmalee Jackson caused a turnover, and Trenise Tiger got the ball and hit a quick bucket to seal the Lady Rebel win 65-62.
Chambers then hosted Evangel Christian from Montgomery in the first round of the playoffs. After the Lady Rebels started forcing turnovers, Madison Stanford was able to put up five quick points. Trenise Tigner added a steal and score. Blakely Allen hit a bucket and a free throw, and Samantha Lovelace hit a buzzer beater three pointer to give the Lady Rebels a 13-7 lead at the end of the first. Stanford opened the second with a three, and the Lady Rebels went on a 7-0 run to start the quarter. Allen added a steal and score, and the Lady Rebel led 24-12 at the half.
Chambers came out cold in the second half and did not add any points in the third until Stanford pulled an and one and Trenise Tigner hit a fast break allowing the Lady Lions to cut the lead 29-20 going into the final period of play. Evangel pulled within four in the fourth, but Chambers was able to hang on for the 37-29 win to move on to the Elite Eight.
The Lady Rebels will face a strong Clark-Prep team in the Elite Eight at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery.
Varsity Boys
In the final regular season game against the Colts, Chambers struggled to get shots to fall. After Hooper jumped out to an eight point lead, Chambers chipped away to make it 11-16 at the end of the first. After trailing by as many as 10 in the second quarter, buckets by Hunter Andrews, Bryce Modeling, and Braxton Terry, cut the Colt lead to five at the half.
The Rebels went cold in the second half, struggling to get shot to fall. Chambers trailed 41-54 at the end of the third.
Chambers switched the momentum in the fourth, cutting the lead to single digits, but a controversial foul against the Rebels allowed Hooper to maintain their lead. Refusing to quit,
Chambers cut the lead to five with less than 2 minutes left. In the bonus, Hooper was able to increase their lead. A Christian Terry three pointer gave the Rebels hope, but time ran out on their comeback, and they fell 69-59.
The Rebels secured the area championship in an unconventional way last week. After splitting with Springwood, a tie breaker had to be enacted. Each team beat the other by more than 14 points forcing continued tie breakers. The two teams were still tied throughout the tie breaker process, and a coin toss decided the fate of the two teams. The Rebels won the toss giving them both the area championship and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Chambers will now face Jackson Academy in the Elite Eight.
