Marty O'Brien
03-12-2008, 03:22 PM
Franklin girls will play for state title
By Marty O'Brien
Franklin High coach Mona Sumblin considered a stall to preserve the four-point lead her team held late in the third quarter of the Group A Division 1 semifinals. Then her team’s press started working, and the last thing Sumblin wanted was to slow the tempo.
The Broncos made several steals in stretching that four-point lead to 15 in the final three minutes of the third quarter. They used their defense to double that margin in routing Bland County 72-42 at the Siegel Center.
The Broncos (24-1) advance to a state final for the first time since 1985, when they won the Group A title. They’ll play Buffalo Gap at 11 a.m. Saturday.
"That’s what we do, press and look for steals," said Sumblin, who guided the Broncos to the ’85 state championship. "We waited to press because we didn’t want to run out of gas too soon.
"Fortunately, we started making our layups at the right time."
The Broncos led just 32-28 before Kierra Lee made a layup to ignite the 11-0 run the Broncos used to break the game open in the final moments of the third quarter.
Lee had two steals in the run, both of which led to baskets by Eboney Joyner. Keshara Bradley finished the run with a 3-pointer to put the Broncos ahead 43-28.
Bradley finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Lee led the way with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six steals.
By Marty O'Brien
Franklin High coach Mona Sumblin considered a stall to preserve the four-point lead her team held late in the third quarter of the Group A Division 1 semifinals. Then her team’s press started working, and the last thing Sumblin wanted was to slow the tempo.
The Broncos made several steals in stretching that four-point lead to 15 in the final three minutes of the third quarter. They used their defense to double that margin in routing Bland County 72-42 at the Siegel Center.
The Broncos (24-1) advance to a state final for the first time since 1985, when they won the Group A title. They’ll play Buffalo Gap at 11 a.m. Saturday.
"That’s what we do, press and look for steals," said Sumblin, who guided the Broncos to the ’85 state championship. "We waited to press because we didn’t want to run out of gas too soon.
"Fortunately, we started making our layups at the right time."
The Broncos led just 32-28 before Kierra Lee made a layup to ignite the 11-0 run the Broncos used to break the game open in the final moments of the third quarter.
Lee had two steals in the run, both of which led to baskets by Eboney Joyner. Keshara Bradley finished the run with a 3-pointer to put the Broncos ahead 43-28.
Bradley finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Lee led the way with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six steals.