Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — Did you hear the one about the No. 2-ranked team that walked into a gym to play a team with a losing record? The team with the losing record won.

No joke.

The Chesapeake Lady Panthers pulled off a stunning upset with a 54-47 win over the Oak Hill Lady Oaks Saturday in the Division III sectional finals.

“That was a huge win for our program. Our girls battled the whole game and never wavered,” said Chesapeake coach Chris Ball.

“Taylor Martin really did a great job defensively today (on Leanna Adkins). She defended extraordinary. And we used Baylee Mills in there and she did a nice job.”

Adkins — the Lady Oaks leading scorer — was limited to 15 points and just three in the second half.

Kaylee Curry had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Chesapeake (11-12) while Sydnee Hall scored 16 points including 10-of-10 at the foul line.

“We did a better job getting the ball inside to Kaylee Curry in the second half. Sydnee Hall’s ability to control the tempo was another major factor,” said Ball.

Trailing 30-19 at the half, Chesapeake got within 38-36 in the third quarter on 6-of-7 shooting from the field while the Lady Oaks were 3-of-8.

A layup by Curry, a 19-footer by Mills and two free throws by Hall were part of a 6-0 run to end the third quarter.

Chesapeake finally tied the score at 42 on a layup by Atiya Spaulding with 2:08 left in regulation. Abby Haislop hit a 15-footer to give Oak Hill a 44-42 lead, but two foul shots by Hall with 1:29 left tied the game.

Macy Melvin hit a lauyp to start the overtime as Oak Hill went up 46-44, but Curry hit a baseline shot and a layup and Chesapeake led for good at 48-46 with 1:51 on the clock.

Merrill Melvin made the front end of two foul shots for the Lady Oaks but Spaulding hit two clutch free throws with 1:13 left and it was 50-47. Hall converted 4-of-4 from the line including two with six seconds left to seal the upset.

“When Atiya hit those two free throws I knew we were in good shape,” said Ball.

The game was tied at 2-2 and 4-4 when Layne Roseberry hit a 3-pointer a d a layup to give the Lady Oaks a 9-4 lead.

A putback by Curry and a 15-footer by Hall cut the deficit to 9-8. The Lady Oaks led 13-8 on a steal and layup by Haislop with 1:46 on the clock, but Martin answered with a triple for the Lady Panthers and it was 13-11 at the end of the quarter.

Oak Hill scored seven unanswered points to begin the second quarter and it was 20-11. Two foul shots by Hall made it 20-13 at the 5:20 mark.

A layup by Spaulding got Chesapeake within 24-17 but Adkins buried a triple with 3:06 left in the half and the lead was 27-17. Roseberry hit a 3-pointer with 2:30 remaining in the half and Oak Hill had its biggest lead at 30-19 going into the locker room.

Chesapeake will play in the district tournament at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 24, in Waverly’s downtown arena.

Chesapeake 11 8 18 8 10 = 54

Oak Hill 13 17 8 6 3 = 47

CHESAPEAKE (11-12): Kaylee Curry 7 0 4-6 18, Taylor Martin 0 1 0-0 3, Sydnee Hall 3 0 10-10 16, Atiya Spaulding 3 0 2-4 8, Peyton Walsh 2 0 1-2 5, Baylee Mills 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 18-43 17-22 54. 3-point goals: 1-3. Rebounds: 9-, 21-D = 30 (Curry10, Hall 6, Spaulding 6) Team/deadball rebounds: 4. Assists: 9 (Hall 4, Spaulding 3). Steals: 7 (Curry 3, Spaulding 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Walsh (4th 4:34).

OAK HILL (18-2): Layne Roseberry 2 2 1-2 4, Merrill Melvin 0 0 8-10 8, Abby Haislop 3 0 0-0 6, Leanna Adkins 2 3 0-2 15, Macy Melvin 2 0 1-3 5, Mckaile Cade 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 16-51 10-14 7. 3-point goals: 5-17. Rebounds: 19-O, 17-D = 36 (Ma. Melvin 7, Me. Melvin 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 7. Assists: 11 (Haislop 4). Steals: 6 (Haislop 3, Roseberry 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.