By Angela Watts
Assistant GM, Washington D.C. Metro Area
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Photos added!! Box score below!!
** Videos added!! Post-game footage added!
Hi! This is Angela and I’ll be blogging live from the Siegel Center at VCU in Richmond. Game is set to tip at 7 p.m.
Oakton and Princess Anne were just on the floor for an early shoot-around and have headed back to the locker room to pre-game preparations.
There are just under 4 minutes left until the starting lineup will be introduced … and the Cougar students — and parents — are making a strong showing. Oakton’s student section is filled with more than 200 gold-and-maroon clad fans, and there are more arriving as I type.
The two teams are finishing up with their pre-game drills. Oakton is dressed in their home white uniforms while Princess Anne is decked out in its road red.
An Oakton junior, Michelle, is about to sing the National Anthem. I didn’t catch her last name, but she did a nice job in front of his packed crowd.
Starting for the Eastern Region champion Cavaliers (30-1) are junior guard Samisha Powell, junior guard Courtney Braxton, freshman forward Bria Powell, senior forward Dontranika Horton and sophomore center Elizabeth Williams.
Starting for the Northern Region champion Cougars (30-0) are freshman guard Caroline Coyer, senior guard Sasha Borojeni, senior forward Brianna Johnson, sophomore guard Zora Stephenson and senior forward Erin McGartland.
1st Quarter
Princess Anne takes the opening tip but it’s the Cougars who strike first on a baseline three-pointer by McGartland that fired up the Oakton crowd.
Horton hits a mid-range jumper and it’s 3-2 Oakton with 5:50 left in the quarter. Another Horton jumper and the Cavaliers lead, 4-3.
Williams makes a nice move to the basket and Princess Anne has scored six straight points.
McGartland gets a big steal but the Cougars fail to convert and it’s Cavaliers’ ball with 3:50 to play. Gorham hits the jumper and Princess Anne leads 8-3.
McGarland answers with her second three of the game, however, to close within 8-6 with 3:19 to go.
Stephenson layup and it’s tied at 8 with just over three minutes remaining.
Powell answers with a three of her own to put the Cavaliers back on top, 11-8. Not for long.
McGartland’s third three-pointer again knots the score at 11.
Powell again drives the lane and hits a short jumper — and draws the foul.
TV time out on the floor before her free throw attempt.
The teams are back out on the floor and Powell is at the line. It’s good and Princess Anne leads, 14-11, at the 2:20 mark.
Cougars turn the ball over and the Cavaliers make them pay on a rebound and putback by the 6-feet-3-inch Williams.
A foul on Katherine Coyer sends Horton to the line to shoot a pair. Good. This one bounces out and Princess Anne leads, 17-11.
Horton is fouled again — this time by Stephenson — and she’s back at the foul line with :23.3 remaining in the opening quarter. Again she hits one-of-two and the Cavaliers lead, 18-11.
Johnson with a strong drive to the basket and it’s 18-13 at the end of the first period.
2nd Quarter
NOTE: Oakton is attempting to become the first Northern Region girls’ team to win a state championship since Kara Lawson led West Springfield to the title in 1999. Lawson, who went on to star at the University of Tennessee and is now a television analyst, scored a Class AAA record 47 points in that finale.
Stephenson rebounds her own missed shot and puts it back up for two and it’s 18-15.
Powell with a long jumper and it’s 20-15 with 6:53 to play in the half.
Make that 23-15 after another Powell three-pointer from the left wing and Oakton Coach Fred Priester wants a time out with 6:38 on the clock.
Johnson made a beautiful pass to Stephenson but she failed to covert … but Caroline Coyer ties it up on the other end of the floor. Possession stays with Princess Anne.
Cavaliers miss a three; Borojeni doesn’t. She hits her first long ball to pull Oakton within 23-18 at the 4:59 mark.
Now it’s Princess Anne Coach Darnell Dozier who wants to talk it over. Time out Cavaliers.
The two teams each had an offensive possession but neither converted and we’ve got a TV time out with 4:00 left in the half.
We’re back in action and a McGartland rebound gives possession to the Cougars. But Powell makes a steal and converts on the other end for a 25-18 Princess Anne lead.
Another Cavalier layup — this one by Jazmen Boone — and at 27-18 Oakton calls another time out.
McGartland nails her fourth three-pointer, this one from the right wing, and it’s 27-21 with 2:00 to play. The shot prompts the Oakton crowd to chant, “We love Erin!”
Powell jumper; Borojeni three and it’s 29-24 and the chant has switched to, “We love Sasha!”
Borojeni drains her second straight three from the same spot on the right baseline and it’s 29-27 with 1:07 left in the half.
Time out Princess Anne.
A Powell three-pointer makes it’s 32-27 with less than a minute remaining.
Stephenson tries to get in on the action, but her three goes in-and-back-out. But the Cougars retain possession and Katherine Coyer is fouled. She’s at the line shooting two.
The first is up-and-in. So is the second and it’s 32-29 with :26 to play.
Natasha Gorham hits her first from behind the arch and it’s 35-29 with :01.2 showing on the clock.
WOW. The Cavaliers, with the ball out of bounds and :01.2 remaining, make a quick pass to Powell and she banks in a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Princess Anne a 38-29 lead at half time.
NOTE: There were 12 total three-pointers scored in the first half, seven by the Cougars and five by the Cavaliers. Powell leads all scorers with 21 first-half points, while McGartland is pacing Oakton with 12 points and five rebounds.
3rd Quarter
A big block by Williams starts the third quarter and gives Princess Anne possession. Braxton drives the line for a wide open layup and the Cavaliers lead, 40-29.
But Stephenson answers with yet another three to pull Oakton within 40-32 with 6:39 remaining in the quarter.
That’s eight for the Cougars if you’re counting. The state record is nine … which Oakton tied during the state quarterfinals. So they’re looking to break their own mark.
Williams feeds Powell for a fast break layup and the margin has been pushed back to double-digits, 42-32, with 4:29 to go.
Time out Oakton.
Princess Anne is slowing the pass on offense in an attempt to milk the big lead, but the Cavaliers fail to convert and it’s Borojeni who draws a foul at the other end of the floor.
TV time out before Borojeni shoots.
She hits the pair and it’s 42-34 with 3:45 to play in the quarter.
Caroline Coyer forces a turnover and the Cougars are back in possession. McGartland makes a move to the basket and also picks up a foul. She splits ’em and it’s 42-35 with 2:41 to play.
Williams gets the bucket-and-one and Princess Anne’s lead is back to 10 points.
That’s until McGartland drains her fifth three — the team’s ninth — and it’s 45-38 with 2:13 to play.
Caroline Coyer hits another three — breaking the state record with 10 and counting — and it’s 45-41 with 1:49 on the clock.
Stephenson draws a foul and is at the line. She misses the first. Hits the second. It’s a three-point game with Princess Anne leading, 45-42.
Oakton is holding for the last shot of the quarter … Caroline Coyer makes a move to the basket and draws a foul with :07.7 on the clock. Good. Good again and it’s 45-44.
Powell makes an attempt at the buzzer but the ball rolls off the front of the rim and we have ourselves a ball game.
End of third quarter: Princess Anne 45, Oakton 44.
4th Quarter
Princess Anne turns it over to start the fourth and Caroline Coyer is bringing it up the court. But the Cougars miss and it’s Williams who scores on the other end.
Katherine Coyer answers with a three-pointer — that’s No. 11 for the team — and it’s tied at 47 with 6:56 to play.
Time out Cavaliers with 6:06 remaining.
Williams goes off-the-glass to put Princess Anne back on top, 49-47 at the 5:17 mark.
Borojeni three from the left wing — that’s No. 12 — and Oakton leads 50-49.
Boone jumper and the lead has changed again: It’s 51-50 Princess Anne.
Make that 53-50 after a fast break layup by Powell, who was also fouled on the play. She’s at the line shooting one. It’s good and the Cavaliers lead, 54-50, with 4:01 to go.
Stephenson for three — lucky No. 13 — and it’s 54-53 with 3:39 remaining.
Williams is fouled by McGartland and there is a TV time out with 3:30 remaining before she steps to the line.
Williams’ first foul shot is good. So is the second and Princess Anne leads, 56-53.
McGartland was diving for a loose ball and trying to tie it up but was instead whistled for her second foul. That sends Bria Powell to the line to shoot a one-and-one. She misses it but Boone gets the rebound and the basket to extend the Cavaliers’ lead to 58-53.
Caroline Coyer is fouled at the other end and will shoot two. She nails both and it’s 58-55 Princess Anne with 2:33 to play.
Samisha Powell — who is the Powell referenced in every play other than the one above — banks on in and it’s 60-55.
Caroline Coyer is back at the line shooting a pair. She hits the first and misses the second and it’s 60-56.
Boone dishes to Williams for a layup and Princess Anne leads 62-56. And after an offensive miss by the Cougars it’s Powell who scores a driving layup on the other end and it’s 64-56 with 1:13 remaining.
Oakton misses again and it’s Williams at the line shooting a one-and-one. Good. Good again and it’s 66-56.
McGartland heads to the foul line with :59.9 left in this state finale. She hits the first — her 17th point of the game — and adds her team-high 18th as well.
Princess Anne leads 66-58 with :58.9 to play and Oakton has sent Powell to the line. She already has a game-high 30 points. Now she has 32 and it’s 68-58 as time is winding down on Oakton.
Borojeni picks up her fifth foul while sending Bria Powell back to the line. She hits one-of-two and it’s 69-58 with :39 to play.
Caroline Coyer does the fouling this time and sends Samisha Powell to the line to shoot a pair with :18.7 remaining. She hits the first.
Oakton clears its bench and there is a standing ovation as the Cougars’ starters come to the bench.
Powell hits the second free throw as well.
Oakton senior Jenna Cahill — one of the late-game substitutions by the Cougars — banks in a three from the top of the key and that’s No. 14 on the night.
But it’s still a 10-point lead for the Cavaliers at 71-61 with :01.9 left.
Princess Anne is celebrating its 7-161 victory at mid-court … but the Cougar faithful are still proudly chanting “Oakton Cougars” from their seats and their players gather at the team bench.
The two teams are shaking hands … and the trophy presentation is about to begin.
Oakton’s remarkable season ends at 30-1.
Email: awatts@digitalsports.com
BOX SCORE
Princess Anne 18 20 7 26 — 71
Oakton 13 16 15 17 — 61
Princess Anne — S. Powell 12 6-6 34; Williams 6 5-5 17; Boone 3 0-0 6; Horton 2 2-4 6; Gorham 2 0-0 5; Braxton 1 0-0 2; B. Powell 0 1-3 1. Team totals: 26 14-18 71. Oakton — McGartland 5 3-4 18; Borojeni 4 2-2 14; Stephenson 4 1-2 11; C. Coyer 1 5-6 8; K. Coyer 1 2-2 5; Cahill 1 0-0 3; Johnson 1 0-0 2. Team totals: 17 13-16 61. Three-pointers — Princess Anne 5 (S. Powell 4, Gorham); Oakton 14 (McGartland 5, Borojeni 4, Stephenson 2, Cahill, C. Coyer, K. Coyer). Rebounds — Princess Anne 38 (Williams 10); Oakton 37 (C. Coyer 8, Borojeni 7). Assists — Princess Anne 12 (Braxton 3, Gorham 3); Oakton 14 (C. Coyer 4, K. Coyer 3, McGartland 3).
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