Lady Rams finish off Lady Warriors
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Feb. 21, 2003
GREENVILLE Not since the 1976-77 basketball season have the Kemper Academy Lady Rams participated in the Academy Overall Tournament.
But when that event tips off next week at Mississippi College, you can count on the Lady Rams being there, thanks to a 70-58 quarterfinal victory over Deer Creek Academy in the Class A State Tournament at Greenville Christian School Thursday afternoon.
Kemper (24-10) will face third-ranked Delta Academy (39-3) today at 2:30 p.m. in the state semifinals. Riverdale (37-0) and the winner of Thursday's late game between Strider (29-2) and Humphreys (23-11) complete the field.
After six ties, including a 12-all deadlock to end the opening quarter, Kemper went on a 12-2 run midway through the second quarter to take a 32-19 lead.
Kayla Mosley and Libby Myers both hit a three-pointer during the run.
Blair Johnson had 10 points for Kemper at halftime, and Beach added nine and Mosley seven.
The Lady Rams took their biggest lead of the game with a pair of 20-point leads in the first three minutes of the third quarter.
Deer Creek (31-7) fought to within 47-37 thanks to a 15-5 run over a three-minute span.
But Kemper led 53-41 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Corre Looney cut Deer Creek's deficit to 53-46 nailing a shot with 6:40 remaining.
Kemper responded with a 7-0 run to pad its lead back to 60-46. Beach made 3-of-4 free throws, and Johnson converted a three-point play.
Beach ended any comeback hopes for the Lady Warriors nailing a three-pointer, with 3:22 left in the contest. Her bucket from behind the arc boosted Kemper's lead to 64-50.
Johnson had 21 points and dominated the boards as she atoned for a sub-par showing in last week's Central State Tournament at Brandon. She was Kemper's lone starter not to make the all-tournament team.
Mosley added 10 points for the Lady Rams, and Eve Darnell scored nine.
Heather Harber led Deer Creek with 20 points. Looney scored 11, and Hope Christian added eight.
