Vikettes advance to final four in state playoffs after intense comeback
Feb. 28—VALDOSTA — Returning to the Crimson Colosseum for the third time in a row in the state playoffs, The Lowndes High Vikettes faced off against Milton High School's Lady Eagles.
The 26-2 overall visitor would force the Vikettes to play at their best in one of the most intense games of the season. The Vikettes overcame a rough start to the game and take the win 61-50.
The Lady Eagles would start the game with a deep three-pointer from Nya Smith. Smith was a force of nature on the court, spelling disaster for the Vikettes.
The Vikettes could not find their footing in the first quarter, only putting up five points. Kayla Jackson put up a rebound, with the rest of the points coming from free throws.
The Lady Eagles stayed on top, putting up 19 points, with 13 from Smith alone. The first quarter would be an obstacle for the Vikettes to overcome going forward in the game.
Lowndes started to overcome that obstacle in the second quarter with an impressive performance. The Vikettes put up 12 points to the Lady Eagles three. The quarter proved frustrating for the visitor as the Vikettes began playing more aggressively for the ball and played more confidently toward the basket.
Vikette Laila Foster started building momentum with a 3-pointer to start the quarter. The Lady Eagles followed with their only second-quarter points, from Londyn Walker with a layup and free throw.
The Vikettes would continue to chip away at Milton's lead with improvements inside and outside the line.
Kimora Wade and Shamiaha Webb put up layups, with Kaci Demps capping the first half off with two 3-pointers. At halftime, the Vikettes were barely trailing the Lady Eagles 22-17.
The second half saw Lowndes' top scorers find their footing and take the lead.
Demps took advantage of multiple free throws in the third and fourth quarters to score 15 points throughout the game. However, the highest scorer was Aryana Thomas, who put up all 16 of her points in the second half.
The Vikettes finally secured the lead for the first time early into the third quarter with a 3-pointer from Leah Jones.
The lead changed hands multiple times as the scores alternated. Thomas broke the cycle with a deep 3-pointer followed by a layup from Ariyah Davis, ending the third quarter for the Vikettes 37-31.
The Lady Eagles tried to regain their lead in the final quarter, but the Vikettes had already adapted to their play style.
Lowndes stayed aggressive on the ball and did not allow their shooters to set up. All the while, they continued moving the ball for their inside plays and 3-pointers.
The fourth quarter consisted of many free throws on both sides, with the Vikettes racking up quite the lead off of better free shots. Thomas stayed dominant, starting the quarter with a 3-pointer and multiple inside plays.
Ultimately, the Vikettes took a 19-5 first quarter and turned it into a 61-50 game. In one of their best performances, the Vikettes proved why they are ready to be in the final four in the state playoffs. The team will be tested in their next matchup against Grayson High School's Rams, who stand at 30-0 overall.
The semifinal is set for Saturday at Georgia State at Atlanta at 5 p.m.
