Habersham Central shocked the region with a championship run, taking the region crown with a 39-30 win over Clarke Central (11-14) at home on Valentine’s Day.
The Lady Raiders (12-11) took an early 4-0 lead courtesy of buckets by Paisley Cathey and Tessa Murdock. The low-scoring first resulted in an 8-8 score.
Clarke Central held Habersham off the board over the first five minutes of the second period until a Daytona Underwood basket. Sadie Chambers knocked in a 3-pointer as part of an 8-0 run. Underwood had eight in the first half, as the Lady Raiders held a slim 16-15 lead.
The third belonged to Hab Central, as a flurry of shots from beyond the arc went down for Makenzie Gosnell, Chambers, and Gosnell again dialed long distance. Moments later, a 3-point play by Underwood helped Habersham take a commanding 12-point lead. The Lady Raiders doubled their output with a 16-point third and led by 10 going into the final frame.
An alright chippy game got more intense in the final quarter, but Habersham Central locked down defensively to seal the title.
Underwood had a team-high 15 points, followed by 10 for Chambers. Gosnell added eight, while Tessa Murdock, Cathey, and Macy Huff each added two. This marks the first region title for the Lady Raiders since the 2011-12 season.
