Lakewood Ranch punches its first ticket to girls state tournament
PALM HARBOR -- Going To States!
Tina Hadley waited nine years to shout those words. The players on the Lakewood Ranch girls basketball team waited all their lives. No need for patience anymore thanks to the Mustangs' 49-42 victory against host Palm Harbor University Friday night in the Class 7A-Region 3 title game.
In the quiet outside the Lakewood Ranch locker room Hadley clutched the regional tournament championship trophy and wouldn't let go. Nobody was going to take it from her though the game had ended 15 minutes earlier.
"I'll take this all day long. We lost some battles along the way, but we won the war," she said.
It was a far cry from when Hadley took over the program nine years ago and often went into games with only seven or eight players because of lack of interest. That was a battle.
The victory gives Lakewood Ranch a spot in the 7A state final four Friday in the Lakeland Center where it will play Niceville.
The Mustangs (25-6) punched their ticket behind 6-foot-3 junior LaDazhia Williams, who showed why she is on the radar of every major college women's basketball program. Williams scored 15 first-half points, converting 7 of 8 attempts to help the Mustangs take a 24-19 lead into halftime. She finished with a game-high 21 points and six rebounds.
"It feels amazing to go to states. We worked so hard and now we are ready," Williams said. "I tried to use all the moves that I worked on and used a lot of pump fakes. After I got into foul trouble, I just tried to play smart. When I had to sit, I trusted that my teammates would get the job done."
The Hurricanes (25-8) trailed 40-28 less than a minute into the fourth quarter when they began a surge with Williams on the bench. They drew within four, 43-39, with 3:28 left in the game.
Hadley has been saying all year Lakewood Ranch could win without its star and proved it by beating Southeast without Williams during the season. Against Palm Harbor, Ranch never gave up its lead thanks, in part, to sophomore India Searls, who produced 15 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.
Clutching the regional trophy as if she was holding a newborn, Hadley made sure no one was going to take it away though the game had ended more than 15 minutes ago.
"I am extremely proud of our team," Hadley said. "Our subs came in and gave us some valuable minutes, and India Searls stepped up to the plate tonight. She struggled in our last game (against Palmetto) and I predicted she was going to have a great game."
Williams picked up her third foul with 2:37 left before halftime and went to the bench. She got
her fourth with two minutes remaining in the third quarter and sat until five minutes remained. Searls scored 10 of her points in the second half when Williams was either out or playing cautiously because of her fouls.
"I thought we played well when LaDazhia was on the bench. When I put her back in with four fouls in the fourth quarter I told her keep your hands up and don't breathe," Hadley said. "I thought they were calling the game too tight. But we kept our composure. We played without LaDazhia this year, and we know we just have to go out there and do it. We don't want to play without her, but we can."
A free throw by Williams pushed Lakewood Ranch's lead to 44-39 with 2:17 left in the game.
The Mustangs defense kicked in and denied the Hurricanes any good looks. The Mustangs were fouled on five straight possessions in the final minute and got the rebound off a missed free throw four times.
Lakewood Ranch becomes the fourth girls basketball team from Manatee County to reach the state final four joining Southeast, Palmetto and Bradenton Christian.
Alan Dell, Herald sports writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056. Follow him on Twitter @ADellSports
This story was originally published February 13, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch punches its first ticket to girls state tournament ."