The TW Josey High School girls’ basketball team defeated Thomson 48-43 Feb. 25 to advance to the AA Georgia High School Basketball Semifinals.
“Ecstatic, speechless, colossal, this is huge,” said Josey Coach Nichelle Chapman on winning the game and heading to the Final Four.
This was the fourth time Josey and Thomson battled this season with the Eagles winning three of the games.
Momentum was in the Bulldogs’ favor early as senior Ty’Leishiah Latimore converted a contested layup and Thomson went on a 6-0 run.
After leading 12-7 through one quarter, Keasia Henderson helped Josey with a 3-pointer and layup in outscoring Thomson 14-6 in the second quarter.
The second half was a back in forth battle as Thomson hit a three, but Shaniya Sanders answered with one of her own to keep Josey ahead 32-30.
With 6:29 remaining in the game, Latimore made a layup and 3-pointer to push Thomson ahead 37-36 in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Eagles continued to fight and the biggest basket of the game came from junior forward Za’Miyah Jenkins converting the contested layup and drawing the foul. Jenkins also made the free throw extending the Lady Eagles lead to 44-39.
“It was huge because she has been our big man and anchor in the middle. We lean on her a lot. She carries us tremendously throughout each and every game,” Chapman said. “I felt like that was the momentum to get over the top of the mountain.”
Henderson forced an inbound steal and helped secure the victory for Josey.
Not only is Josey headed back to the Final Four, the Lady Eagles are looking to return to the championship after falling in the title game 59-52 to the Mount Paran Christian Eagles.
“We made it all the way to championship last year, so we kind of feel like we have unfinished business,” Chapman said. “We just want to come out and get stronger each game throughout the season and let it all out on the court and see where things lay.”
Josey will now face off against Hardaway (24-6, 14-0) in the semifinals on Friday, Feb. 28. The date and location are to be announced. Despite facing familiar teams throughout the playoffs so far, Josey will have a new test in the semifinal game.
“When you’re playing an opponent you haven’t faced, that will give them a little freedom and just go out and be them,” Chapman said. “It is still the same intensity, energy and effort and we just got to do the same thing all over again and hopefully will get a favorable outcome.”
Christopher Rickerson, an Augusta University graduate, has covered area sports for Augusta University, The Augusta Press and Augusta Good News. Subscribe to the Augusta Good News newsletter here.
