Hoover is inevitable – even when staring down a double-digit deficit heading into the final quarter of what could have been the final game of the season.

The fourth-ranked Bucs dominated the final period as they rallied for a 58-55 victory over No. 1 Bob Jones in Tuesday’s Class 7A girls Northwest Regional final at Wallace State’s Traditions Bank Arena in Hanceville. Hoover snapped Bob Jones’ 20-game win streak to spoil the Patriots’ bid to make the final four.

“It started in the locker room when we told them they needed to fight,” Hoover coach Krystle Johnson said. “We knew we prepared for this moment because our schedule was hard. We played teams that had a lot of talent. We’ve been down before and we’ve had to fight our way back. We told them to fight for each other and we didn’t stop fighting.”

Three-time defending state champion Hoover (26-7) fell behind early, 6-3, but flexed its offensive acumen with an 8-0 run to take a 2-point lead late in the opening period. The Patriots closed out the quarter on an 11-0 run, sparked by a 3-pointer from Zamyra Goode and finished with 8 straight points from Alana Obianozie, who converted two and-1 opportunities in the final 30 seconds.

Bob Jones kept the Bucs at arm’s length for the majority of the second quarter and pushed ahead to a 35-26 halftime lead on the back of a 9-3 run, capped with a 3-pointer and a last-second tip-in from Janiyah Bone. The Patriots maintained a double-digit lead throughout the third period, Jordyn Fields converting an and-1 play and a 3-pointer in the first two minutes of the second half, and carried a 51-38 lead into the fourth period as Obianozie and Fields combined on a 6-2 run to close out the quarter.

Hoover entered the final quarter facing a 13-point deficit, but experience played a key role as Hoover went on a 14-0 run to open the period to reclaim its first lead at 52-51. The Bucs had not led since an 11-9 advantage late in the first quarter.

“Because they (Bob Jones) had the lead, they weren’t going to be in a rush,” Johnson said. “We had to somehow create turnovers and bad decisions. That’s what we did.”

Khloe Ford provided the initial spark on the opening possession with her only 3-pointer of the game.

“I knew, as soon as I hit that 3, the switch had turned on for the team,” Ford said. “Normally, I don’t shoot 3s and everybody had hope when I made that 3.”

Ariana Peagler added a pair of free throws and Aaliyah Blanchard dropped in two triples, after going 0-for-2 in the first three quarters, to fuel the run further and give Hoover its first lead of the second half.

“When Khloe hit that 3, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re going, we’re cranking the energy up,’” Blanchard said. “I had to lock in (on my shot). I kept attacking the basket, finishing and we showed a lot of resiliency. The first half was not to our standard, but I’m proud of us for getting it back up.”

Jillian Williamson dropped in another 3-pointer for the Bucs to push the lead back to 56-53 with a little more than a minute remaining in the game.

Bob Jones (29-4) did not score in the final period until 2:23 remaining, when Jae Smith hit a mid-range jumper to retake the lead at 53-52, and pulled within a single point in the final 26 seconds on a jump shot from Obianozie. With five seconds remaining, Obianozie was called for a charge on the Patriots’ final opportunity and Peagler sealed the deal with a pair of free throws.

Did you know? Hoover advances to its seventh straight state tournament final four, where the program has won five of the past seven state titles.

By the numbers: Hoover shot 43.8 percent overall and was 55.6 percent from the field in the final period. The Bucs forced 16 turnovers, resulting in 25 points, and held Bob Jones to 2-of-8 in the fourth quarter after shooting 43.2 percent in the first three periods. The Patriots won the rebounding battle with a plus-4 edge on the glass.

Stat sheet: Hoover – Ford led the way with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 9 rebounds, and Blanchard had 14 points, 3 boards and 2 assists. Peagler finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, and Williamson had 7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Kamryn Lee had 4 points and 3 rebounds and Kaitlyn Gipson had 2 points, 2 boards and 2 steals, along with taking a crucial charge with five seconds remaining. Bob Jones – Obianozie finished with a game-high 21 points, adding 9 rebounds, and Bone had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Fields had 9 points, followed by Jae and Laliayh Smith, who combined for 9 points and 11 rebounds.

All-Tournament Team: Khloe Ford was named region MVP and teammates Kaitlyn Gipson and Aaliyah Blanchard were selected to the all-tournament team, along with Bob Jones’ Jaliyah Smith, Janiyah Bone and Alana Obianozie.

Coachspeak: “We got some people that are just fearless. They’ve been here before, whether they were on the bench or the court. They’re just fearless. The target was on them (Bob Jones), they were the No. 1 team in the state, and people had written us off all season. Our program stands on hard work.” – Hoover’s Krystle Johnson

They said it: “I was thinking we got 30 seconds and we can’t just go home after all that fight. Khloe (Ford) making 3s and everybody shooting well, you just can’t go home. I had to step up and take it. I knew she (Obianozie) was going to go hard toward the goal, no matter what, and I just took it.” – Kaitlyn Gipson on taking a crucial late charge

“It was rough, but I really wanted it. We were not going home. When I got those two free throws, I knew I had to make it. I locked in and did it.” – Ariana Peagler on game-clinching free throws.

What’s next? Hoover advances to face No. 9 Auburn in a Class 7A state semifinal at 9 a.m. on Feb. 29, at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham.