Eufaula girls outlast Vigor in OT on late free throw
Eufaula’s Arianna Turner hit the second of two free throw attempts with 2.2 seconds left in overtime as the Tigers edged Vigor 50-49 in the Class 5A South Regional girls semifinals at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery on Friday.
“It was a great effort by both teams,” Eufaula coach Rick Bulter said. “Vigor came out fast. We weathered a few storms and were fortunate to come out on top in the end. Great game.”
RELATED: See Friday’s scores, results
The Tigers (16-11) will play either No. 5 Gulf Shores or St. Paul’s in the regional final at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Vigor finished its season at 16-10. The Wolves’ Jerrimeshia Williams sent the game into OT by hitting one of two free throws with 14.2 seconds left in regulation. Eufaula missed a shot at the buzzer that would have won the game.
In the extra period, the Wolves led by three points twice – the final time at 49-46 on a pair of Williams’ free throws with 1:01 left. She finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Turner’s layup cut the lead to 49-48 with 33.3 seconds left. After Vigor’s 6-foot-5 sophomore center Jamonica Chambers fouled out with 26 seconds left, Eufaula’s Ganielle Palmer hit a free throw to tie the game.
The Tigers then forced a jump ball in the backcourt to regain possession, leading to Turner’s game-winning free throw. Eufaula forced 23 turnovers in the game and committed just nine.
“We hit some shots down the stretch and, when their post player fouled out, that kind of opened up some things for us down low,” Butler said. “We ran some set plays and were able to convert. We just stayed with what we have been successful at doing all year.”
Palmer led three Tigers in double figures with 16 points. She also had 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Jamariona Henderson and Quannesia Walton each scored 10. Turner finished with 7 points and 11 rebounds.
Chambers was dominant on the inside for much of the game. She finished with 15 points, 20 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. Jamonica Miller had 14 points.