Super seventh-grader Belle Hill put Mars Hill Bible’s championship hopes on her young shoulders and led the Panthers to a 69-47 win over Cold Springs and to the Class 2A state championship on Friday morning at Birmingham’s BJCC Legacy Arena.

After top-ranked Cold Springs jumped to an 18-9 first-quarter lead, Hill took over – scoring 11 of her 19 first-half points in the second period. Mars Hill outscored the Eagles 25-8 in that pivotal quarter and the Panthers never looked back.

Most Valuable Player Hill finished the game with 27 points in the championship game.

“We got in a little foul trouble and No. 4 (Hill) decided she was going to play,” Cold Springs head coach Tammy West said. “You can’t watch her play and think she’s a seventh-grader. She’s a phenomenal player and we had to focus so much energy on her.”

Mars Hill pushed its 34-26 halftime advantage to a 50-36 lead headed into the final quarter on the way to its first state title since 2005 and its eighth overall.

The Panthers won the hustle points on the day, scoring 19 second-chance points to eight for Cold Springs. Mars Hill also had a 26-20 advantage scoring in the paint.

“That’s the type of team that we’ve been all year,” Mars Hill head coach Flori Sweatt said. “We know that getting those second-chance points, fighting and not dragging our head and getting upset has been the theme all season. That’s what got them back in the ballgame and that’s what got them here in this tournament.”

“I knew we had some nerves,” said 13-year-old Hill. “I knew we had to get out of that, we couldn’t stay in that. We had to push through it to get to where we were in the second quarter.”

Mars Hill senior guard Emma Kate Wright, who finished with 16 points, praised Hill’s performance. “I’m so proud of Belle,” she said. “She’s in the seventh grade and acts like a senior. She’s been one of the best teammates to have. She’s so humble. She’s just a great ballplayer.”

Star of the Game: Hill pulled down eight rebounds, dished out three assists and had two steals and two blocked shots to go with her 27 points.

Stat sheet: Mars Hill – Sophomore forward Kadence Rolston scored 11 points, claimed nine rebounds and had three steals. Cold Springs – Freshman Ella Dickerson scored 16 points to lead the Eagles. Junior Maci Brown scored 14 points to go with three steals and three rebounds.

By the numbers: Cold Springs was 7-for-10 from the field – 2-for-3 from 3-point range – in the first quarter. The Panthers held the Eagles to 23.1 percent shooting and 0-7 from 3-point range in the critical second quarter. Mars Hill outrebounded Cold Springs 38-27.

They said it: “The physicality part of the game is what killed us. They were much more physical than us. We gave up 17 offensive rebounds, and you can’t do that.” – West