Perry can’t keep up with Luella’s pace
If only first quarter determined the winner of the game, Perry would have been just fine
Unfortunately for Perry, it was the only quarter it won as Luella came away with a 68-54 victory in the GHSA Class 4A girls playoffs Friday night..
The game started slow as each team tried to feel each other out. Luella opened with an aggressive zone defense causing Perry into numerous turnovers and forcing Perry to be a jump-shooting team.
Meanwhile, Perry played solid defense, which forced Luella into bad shots and blown layups. The first quarter ended with Perry leading 18-16 after scoring on back-to-back possessions, including a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Asia Harrell.
After first quarter, Luella picked up its tempo, which gave Perry trouble and Luella got the lead and maintained it ending the second quarter with a 34-24 lead.
Two Who Mattered
Kamaya Hollingshed: The Lions guard was nearly unstoppable, hitting three three-pointers in the opening quarter.
Kirondria Smith: The Perry guard started off slow in the first half but in the second half she ignited the Perry fans’ hope as she scored on two consecutive possessions to end the third quarter.
Turning Point
Perry’s offensive struggles returned as Luella took advantage and scored three consecutive possessions with five minutes remaining in the second quarter. Luella took advantage of the momentum, and its lead expanded to as many as 12 points before the second quarter ended.
Observations
Slow start: After numerous turnovers, missed shots and layups to start the game, the first points weren’t scored until 6:03 left in the first quarter, which was a single free throw by Luella guard Keely Brown.
Perry can’t keep up with Luella’s tempo: In the first quarter, Luella played more into Perry’s comfort zone, a slower paced game, which explains how the score was relatively close at the end of the first half. When Luella finally played at a faster tempo in the second quarter, Perry couldn’t keep up and Luella had a 12-point lead at the half.
Third-quarter comeback: Perry came out in the second half aggressive. Perry center/forward LaShondria Mallard got the ball on the first possession, drawing a foul and made both free throws, which made the score 34-24. Perry kept competing, but it wasn’t until less than a minute left in the third quarter that Perry closed the gap with the score 47-44.
They Said It
Perry head coach Reginald West on the loss: “They left it all out there, and you couldn’t ask anything of them. They played hard. We had a very good season. Finish the season at 22-6, and I told that senior bunch it’s been awhile since we had a senior here at Perry High School play in two region championship games and we were runner up two out of three years. That’s something to hang your hat on so I’m proud of them. They fought to the end.”
West on keeping Smith in the entire second half despite foul trouble: “She’s our best offensive threat, and she does a fantastic job dribble-driving, and she can knock down 3s, and I told her when she picked up that fourth foul early don’t foul anymore. ‘I’m not taking you out, just don’t foul.’ She did a good job not picking up that fifth foul.”
Smith on team’s defensive effort against Hollingshed: “We didn’t think she was going to shoot like that but we tried to adjust but she just on (Friday).”
Luella head coach LaToya Brown on whether she saw her team as an underdog against Perry: “I definitely don’t consider us an underdog by any means. From my eyes we’re No. 1. We came up short in our region tournament, and that’s a good thing. A lot of people may think they’re playing the No. 3 seed when they’re really playing the No. 1 seed.”
Brown on Hollingshed’s performance: “Kamaya, she’s a good shooter. She finds seams, finds a way to get open. Even on box-and-one she finds a way to get open. They were kind to her (Friday). Hopefully throughout the tournament she continues to shoot like that.”
This story was originally published February 18, 2017 at 9:11 AM with the headline "Perry can’t keep up with Luella’s pace."