Lady Hornets lose in overtime

Dustin Kent
Floridan Sports Editor
Published: February 16, 2008

COTTONDALE - Milan Clayton made three free throws with 1.9 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, where the North Florida Christian Lady Eagles went on to deal Cottondale a crushing 71-65 loss Saturday night in the 2A Regional Final.

NFC advances to the state semifinals in Lakeland, while the Lady Hornets’ season ends with a record of 29-3.

The Lady Eagles overcame a heroic effort by Cottondale’s Shaunte Foward, who scored 25 of her game-high 39 points in the second half to rally her team from a 10-point halftime deficit.

Melanie Warner led NFC with 27 points, while Samantha Stephens added 20 and Clayton scored 14.

NFC led 32-22 at halftime after getting a 16-2 run to close the first half.

Cottondale fought back in the third, however, going on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to just two at 36-34.

The Lady Hornets trailed by just four heading into the fourth, but NFC responded by pushing the lead out to seven at 50-43 with 5:30 to play.

But a bucket and a 3-pointer by Foward made it 50-48 and another 3-pointer by Foward tied the game 52-52 with 2:37 to play in regulation.

Clayton answered with a straight-on jumper to retake the lead and Foward answered right back with another basket to tie the game again with a minute to play.

Warner put the Lady Eagles up again with a baseline jumper with 41 seconds to play, but Foward stormed right back down the court and converted a driving layup and a foul with 29.7 seconds on the clock.

Foward’s free throw put the Lady Hornets up 57-56.

Cottondale came up with a steal on the ensuing NFC possession and Foward was fouled with 14.3 seconds on the clock.

Foward calmly sank both free throws to give her team a 59-56 lead.

Phillips missed a desperation 3-pointer on NFC’s last possession of regular, but the ball bounce off the side of the backboard to Clayton, who dribbled the ball out to the 3-point line to launch one last desperation heave and drew a whistle.

Showing stunning poise and composure, Clayton knocked down all three free throws with the game on the line to push it to overtime.

The extra session belonged to the Lady Eagles, who jumped out to a 65-60 lead on a bucket by Destiny Hartline, a two by Clayton and a pair of free throws by Warner with 1:11 on the clock.

A basket by Foward cut it to three with 1:02 to play, but Warner made two more free throws on the other end before Phillips knocked down a pair for a 69-62 lead with 23 seconds left.

NFC made 8-of-10 free throws in the overtime and 17-of-23 for the game.

The Lady Eagles will play Hollywood Christian Thursday in Lakeland.