Red Bay girls win 2A Northwest Regional

J.R. Tidwell/FCT The Red Bay girl’s varsity basketball team poses with the 2A Girls 2012 Northwest Regional Trophy after defeating Mars Hill 33-25 in Hanceville Saturday evening. The team played Barbour County in the state semifinals Tuesday evening after press.

The Red Bay Lady Tigers had to fight throughout the entire game, but in the end the 2012 Northwest Regional Tournament Championship for 2A girls would belong the Lady Tigers.

Red Bay won a game that was much closer than the 33-25 final seems. The largest lead of the game for either team had been five points at the beginning of the third before the Lady Tigers made a late run to seal the victory.

“This was a tremendous basketball game,” Red Bay head coach Donnie Roberts said. “I thought we were in the SEC. Both teams played great defense. I’m so proud of our girls.”

The game was tied at 5-5 for much of the first quarter. Red Bay had a 7-6 lead at the end of the first, but Mars Hill outscored the Lady Tigers 7-3 in the second to take a 13-10 advantage into halftime.

Only two of Red Bay’s players scored in the first half. Jade Ezzell had three points and eventual 2A girls Regional MVP Hannah Sharp had seven.

The Lady Panthers went up 15-10 with 7:15 remaining in the third, and three minutes later they were slowing down on offense to kill time and shorten the game.

Red Bay went on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 15-15 with three minutes left in the third.

The Lady Tigers then took their first lead since the second quarter on a short jumper by Kasey Sparks. Sparks drew an and one and made the free throw. A layup by Ezzell then put Red Bay on top 20-19 to end the third.

The teams stayed within four points of each other all the way 2:04 mark in the fourth.

Three foul shots by Sharp and two by Lexy Lindsey ended the game for Red Bay on a 5-0 run to give them the largest lead of the night and an eight-point win.

“I feel like I’m in a dream,” Roberts said.

Sharp led Red Bay in scoring with 20 points. Ezzell added eight, Sparks had 3 and Lindsey totaled 2.