Shoot for the stars

Published 11:25 pm Thursday, March 11, 2010

Northwest Whitfield girls basketball coach Margaret Stockburger knows two important facts about Southwest DeKalb.

One, the Lady Panthers are a good basketball team.

Two, they’ve eliminated Stockburger’s Lady Bruins from the past two postseasons. Last season, Southwest beat Northwest, 57-49, in the quarterfinals. In 2007-08, the Lady Panthers ousted the Lady Bruins, 68-53, in the second round.

Northwest (29-3) takes another crack at Southwest (26-4) today with the ultimate prize at stake: the Class 4A state championship. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth.

“They’re a good, well-coached team,” Stockburger said just prior to Thursday’s practice session in Tunnel Hill. “They can make things happen on both ends of the court, but especially on offense.”

Northwest, which has won 28 of its past 29 games, made a lot of things happen in its impressive 75-56 semifinal victory over Dutchtown on Wednesday. One of the Lady Bruins’ most complete games of the season, it preceded the Lady Panthers’ 61-55 victory over Forest Park.

“Ninety percent of the time the girls did what they needed to do against Dutchtown,” Stockburger said. “In one stretch, they got some offensive rebounds and they got a steal and scored just before the half. The rest of the time, the players did what they’re coached to do and stuck to the game plan.”

In the semifinals, Lady Bruins guard Jordi Cook poured in a career-high 27 points and posts players Quaneisha McCurty and Christy Robinson combined for 28 more. McCurty also had 11 rebounds.

Northwest will have to do even more today against the two-time defending state champion Lady Panthers, who are on an eight-game winning streak.

“Basically,” Robinson said, “Southwest has the same team they’ve had the last few years.

“They’re quick and athletic and we have to cut down their penetration in the lane and force them to beat us from the outside.”

In the semifinals, Southwest built a 14-point lead with two minutes to play, but Forest Park cut the deficit to two points with 17.4 seconds left. Kayla Lewis — the Lady Panthers’ best player and a University of Florida signee — and Chyna Miley each made two free throws down the stretch to avoid the upset.

“This is like a dream come true,” Lewis said of the chance to win three consecutive state titles. “Winning one state championship is great, but winning three in a row is almost unheard of. That just shows we’ve been consistent the last three years.”

Lewis, the 2009-10 Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year, scored a game-high 25 points. She had 20 in the second half and 12 of Southwest’s 16 third-quarter points against Forest Park.

Southwest coach Kathy Richey-Walton said the Lady Panthers have been shooting for a third straight title since beating Fayette County 59-46 on March 13 for last year’s 4A championship.

“This is something these girls want,” Richey-Walton said after the Lady Panthers’ semifinal victory. “And I know they’ll be disappointed if they don’t get that third in a row.”

But Richey-Walton said it won’t be easy getting past Northwest.

“Northwest is incredible,” she said. “I think their team is stronger this year than last year. They have improved post play and their size could be a problem for us, and all their guards are great shooters. Another concern is our inconsistency. I never know which team is going to show up.”

Stockburger, who is 308-94 in 14 seasons, has a pretty good idea.

“A good ballclub,” she said. “They’re well-coached. Lewis makes things happen. (Miley) is good inside and (Chancie Dunn) is a good player who has signed with Clemson. It’s a very solid team, a very solid program. They put us out the last two years.

“We have to do our best and keep them from doing what they like to do best, which is what basketball comes down to. We especially have to do a good job keeping them off the boards.”

Against Dutchtown, the Lady Bruins turned in a solid performance all over the court both offensively and defensively.

McCurty and Robinson were rock-solid inside and Cook, Emily Trew and Baleigh Coley — whose mother, Tracie Ellis, played on the 1990 Northwest team that reached the Class 3A state championship game — were tough on the perimeter.

Along with Cook, Robinson, Coley, Kayla Piorkowski and Kelsey Kirk, who has missed most of this season because of a knee injury, Trew will be playing her final high school game. The Lady Bruins have shown their determination with five straight victories since falling 53-41 to Hillgrove in the Region 7-4A tournament semifinals on Feb. 20, and they have one common goal, Trew said.

“Only one team can end the season with a win and we want it to be us,” Trew said. “We’re pretty confident. Ever since we lost to Hillgrove, we’ve gone after it hard in every practice and every game.

“There’s not a better way to end the season than by winning. That would mean more than anything in our basketball career.”