AM
Princeton vs. Woodrow Wilson
Princeton (54) Vs. Woodrow Wilson (56)
Feb 22, 2012
By DAN STILLWELL
for the Daily Telegraph
OAK HILL — Woodrow Wilson ran its final play perfectly.
There was nothing Princeton could do.
Alexis Allen beat a defender, drove into the lane and dished the ball to open forward Dawnsha Heath, who scored with 1.4 seconds remaining to give Woodrow Wilson a 56-54 victory in the Class AAA Region 3, Section 2 semifinals at the Jim Lilly Center.
“When Alexis zips by, you have to have your post come up and take her,” she said. “Either way, somebody would have made that shot. They’re a hard team to guard.”
Woodrow (14-8) advances to Friday night’s 7:30 p.m. final against Greenbrier East, a 62-59 overtime winner over Nicholas County.
Allen, a senior, finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a steal. But no play was bigger than her last one.
The Tigers’ Hannah Preservati had sank the second of two foul shot tries with 1:20 to go to tie the game at 54-all. Woodrow passed the ball around until there were 40 seconds left, then called time to set up a final play.
Many expected Flying Eagles guard Olivia Moore, who scored a game-high 22 points, would take the shot. But Moore worked the ball, then passed to Allen. Guarded closely, Moore could not get open at the end.
Heath did, however, and the play worked, just as it had in practice.
“At the end, Alexis had the ball, which is fine, and we ran it. We worked on it today,” coach Bernie Bostic said. “Princeton defended it pretty well, but you either give Alexis the lay-up or Dawnsha a shot.”
Allen was on a mission.
“I had made some crazy passes in crunch time that let Princeton take the lead,” she said. “I had to redeem myself.
“I could have taken the shot, but I had to be a true point guard. I made the pass to get us the win.”
The game saw both teams have big runs early, then settle into a dogfight.
Woodrow led 10-6 with 1:45 to go in the first quarter. The Tigers’ six points were on 3-pointers by all-stater Mackenzie Akers and Stephanie Lambert, and they added one by Preservati and another by Lambert to lead 16-10 early in the second period.
Back came the Flying Eagles, with a 13-0 run of their own keyed by five points apiece from Allen and Moore. Akers finally scored from the baseline to end the run, but Moore hit a drive and a trey, and Danielle Miller made a foul shot to give the Flying Eagles their biggest lead at 29-18.
Threes by Marissa Mullins and Lambert cut the lead to six by halftime, 30-24.
Princeton chopped into the lead by three more points in the third quarter. Woodrow sophomore guard Sarah Akers scored eight points early in the fourth, but an 8-0 run by the Tigers gave them a 51-49 lead with 3:52 left in the game.
Akers drove in for a lay-up, and Moore quickly answered with a three to make it 53-52. Mullins missed a free throw and Moore scored again, from the baseline, for a short-lived Woodrow lead at 54-53.
Preservati was fouled at the 1:20 mark and made the second of her two tries, setting the stage for Allen’s heroics.
“We played a good game. It could have gone either way,” Ball said. “Woodrow executed in the final seconds and made their shot.”
Akers finished with 21 points and three steals. Mullins hit three 3s and scored 12, while Lambert had nine points on three treys and Preservati scored six points and had five rebounds. Kendria Perkins grabbed eight boards.
“The team that won was supposed to win — they had the most seniors and people coming back,” Ball said. “I’m proud our kids didn’t feel the same way.
“They’ve never died this year. They never quit, and that’s something you can’t teach. As long as they do that, you win games you’re not supposed to and we did that this year.”
The Tigers will lose two seniors, Perkins and Cydney Graham.
Bostic was making his return after over a month off due to prostate surgery. The game was a nice, if heart-stopping, welcome back.
“Debbie and I always play close games,” he said. “We know what we’re going to do. She could coach my team and I could coach hers.
“I’m tired. Really tired. But the girls and coaches have been real supportive of me. They’ve gotten me through this thing.”
Akers scored 12 points while Heath had six, along with nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Moore added four steals.
— E-mail:
dstillwell@register-herald.com

PRINCETON (14-8)
Mackenzie Akers 9 1-1 21, Kendria Perkins 2 0-0 4, Marissa Mullins 3 3-5 12, Cydney Graham 1 0-0 2, Hanna Preservati 2 1-3 6, Stephanie Lambert 3 0-0 9, Rachel Surface 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 5-9 54.
WOODROW WILSON (14-8)
Olivia Moore 9 1-2 22, Sarah Akers 4 2-2 12, Alexis Allen 4 2-2 12, Dawnsha Heath 2 2-2 6, Breanna Thompson 0 1-2 1, Shaitece Trigg 0 0-0 0, Danielle Miller 2 1-2 5. Totals: 21 5-12 56.
Princeton................. 13 11 12 18 — 54
Woodrow Wilson......10 20 9 17 — 56
Three-point goals: P: 9 (Akers 2, Mullins 3, Preservati 1, Lambert 3); WW: 6 (Moore 3, Akers 1, Allen 2); Fouled out: Trigg.
Nightly Roundup
Game Scoreboard
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT SCORE
Princeton 13 11 12 18 0 54
Woodrow Wilson 10 20 9 17 0 56
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