The Grace Academy girls’ and boys’ basketball teams each advanced into the District 5-A tournament with victories over Copper Basin in Thursday night’s play-in games.
Both Grace teams were seeded fourth and cruised to wins over visiting Copper Basin, the No.
5 seeds. The wins put the Golden Eagles in Friday’s semifinals at Chattanooga State against the top-seeded Arts & Sciences boys and girls, who earned the district regular season titles.
The Grace girls opened with a tough 10-5 first quarter against the Lady Cougars, but Jenny Armao’s two second-quarter 3-pointers helped them pull away for a 21-9 halftime advantage. Ebony Ransby opened the second half with a trey, and Grace held Copper Basin to three points as it extended the lead in the third quarter on the way to a 47-19 win.
The Lady Golden Eagles’ Claire McMasters led all scorers with 14 points, and Jessica Bonner followed with 10 for Grace, which will face CSAS at 4 p.m. Friday. The second-seeded Silverdale Baptist girls will take on No. 3 Boyd-Buchanan in the other girls’ semifinal at 7, with the winners advancing to Saturday’s 6 p.m. championship game.
In the boys’ play-in game, a slow start for both teams resulted in a 6-5 Copper Basin lead at the end of the first quarter. By the half, Grace had worked its way to a 15-12 advantage after a 3-pointer from Andrew Godsey with 1:18 remaining and a basket from Payton Lyons just before the buzzer.
The Golden Eagles’ defense held the Cougars scoreless in the third period and helped Grace take a 28-12 lead into the fourth. An 8-0 run brought Copper Basin within nine points of the lead, but the Golden Eagles secured the 41-25 win with free throws down the stretch.
Jared Roberts led Grace with 15 points, and Lyons finished with 10. The Golden Eagles will try for the upset against Arts & Sciences, a team Grace lost to by two in their last meeting, in Friday’s first boys’ semifinal at 5:30. No. 2 Boyd-Buchanan will take on third-seeded Silverdale in the night’s final game at 8:30.
The tournament will continue Saturday at Chattanooga State with consolation games at 3 and 4:30, followed by the girls’ championship at 6 and the boys’ final at 7:30.
(E-mail Jaime Barrett at jaimenbarrett@gmail.com)
District 5-A play-in games at Grace Academy
GRACE ACADEMY GIRLS 47, COPPER BASIN 19
Copper Basin 5 4 3 7 -- 19
Grace Academy 10 11 16 10 -- 47
Copper Basin (19) -- Collins 2, E. Patterson, Allen, J. Patterson 5, Stiles 2, Brockett, Collis, Hicks 2, Loudermilk 1, Stephens 1, Hedden 6.
Grace Academy (47) -- Ransby 6, McGaughey 1, Jessica Bonner 10, Armao 6, Long 3, Parrott, Claire McMasters 14, Carter 5, Eubanks 2.
3-point goals: Copper Basin 3 (Hedden 2, J. Patterson); Grace 5 (Ransby 2, Armao 2, Long).
GRACE ACADEMY BOYS 41, COPPER BASIN 25
Copper Basin 6 6 0 13 -- 25
Grace Academy 5 10 13 13 -- 41
Copper Basin (25) -- Crowe 1, Allen, Goode, Ledford 6, Wilcox 5, Griffith, Starnes 2, Miller 2, Buenavista, Baeumel, Mickens, Limburg 9.
Grace Academy (41) -- Twomey, Payton Lyons 10, Jared Roberts 15, Russell, Miller 7, Cowart, Godsey 4, Lewis, Armao 5, Dean.
3-point goals: Copper Basin 3 (Ledford 2, Wilcox); Grace Academy 5 (Miller 2, Roberts, Lyons, Godsey).
Friday’s Schedule
At Chattanooga State
Arts & Sciences girls vs. Grace Academy, 4
Arts & Sciences boys vs. Grace Academy, 5:30
Silverdale Baptist girls vs. Boyd-Buchanan, 7
Boyd-Buchanan boys vs. Silverdale Baptist, 8:30