Macie Welch (#2), Lady Braves sophomore guard, goes for a shot in front of Rosman’s Haley Parker (#23) in a second round playoff game on Thursday, Feb. 25. Welch finished the game with 18 points. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Cherokee Lady Braves (22-4) cruised to an 83-55 win over Rosman (16-11) in the second round of the 1A state playoffs on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Charles George Memorial Arena. Bree Stamper, senior point guard, led the way for Cherokee with 19 points followed by Macie Welch, sophomore guard, with 18. Stamper heated things up early with four three-pointers in the first period alone.
“I thought we did a good job,” said Chris Mintz, Lady Braves head coach. “It’s the third time we’ve played them in six games, and it makes it really difficult. In playing the same team over and over, it makes you wonder if we’re going to be able to get up for the game. We started a little slow, but then we turned it on.”
He said his team came out “on fire” in the third period in which they outscored Rosman 27-11. “We played with great intensity…we’re excited to move on. It’s win and advance now.”
The first few minutes were slow for both teams with lots of missed shots on either side. Cherokee led 9-5 midway through the first period, and they led 18-13 with 1:12 left. The Lady Braves led 23-17 going into the second.
Bree Stamper (#12), Lady Braves senior point guard, works the ball inside against Rosman’s Gracy Briggs (#20).
Cherokee came out gunning in the second period and went on a 9-0 run in the first 55 seconds to take a 32-17 lead. The Lady Tigers got some offense going and outscored Cherokee 9-5 in the next three minutes to cut the lead to 37-26.
But, the Lady Braves kept pressing and causing turnovers, and their lead grew and grew. With 2.2 seconds left before the half, Welch drove the lane for a layup to give the Lady Braves a 20-point (51-31) lead at the break.
The third period was all Cherokee. They came out of the gates running and went on a 12-2 run in the first few minutes to take a 30-point lead (63-33) at the 4:36 mark. With 1:52 left in the third, Jamie Lossiah, Lady Braves freshman point guard, drove the baseline for a layup to put Cherokee up by 40 points (78-38) thereby invoking the NCHSAA mercy rule.
Cherokee led 78-42 going into the fourth period. The Lady Braves got a lot of play from their bench in the fourth and held on for the 83-55 victory.
Other Lady Braves scorers included: Tori Teesateskie 14, Carla Wolfe 3, LeLe Lossiah 5, Pooh King 12, Shelby Wolfe 2, Jamie Lossiah 2, Brionna Jumper 2 and Timiyah Brown 8.
Rosman’s scorers included: Callie Chappell 19, Madison Holden 1, Gracy Briggs 7, Allie Whitmire 4, Haley Parker 4 and Rachel Owen 20.
To view or purchase photos from this game, visit: https://onefeather.smugmug.com/SPORTS/BASKETBALL/LADY-BRAVES-BASKETBALL-201516/Vs-Rosman-2nd-Round-1A-state/
