FAYETTEVILLE — Brianna Jackson went to her knees and had a prayer answered at the end of the third quarter. Her game-winning shot was a little more conventional.
Jackson finished with a season-high 19 points - the last two of which came on a 12-footer with 5 seconds remaining in overtime - as the No. 2 Fort Smith Northside Lady Bears pulled out a 73-71 thrilling victory over North Little Rock in Saturday’s semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament.
Northside (26-4) advances to the state championship game, which will be played later this week at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock. The date and time of the final will be determined by the Arkansas Activities Association at 2 p.m. today.
“Brianna came through for us,” said Northside Coach Rickey Smith, who will be making his ninth trip to the state championship game. “She forced a five-count to give us the ball and then she buried the shot at the end.”
Jackson’s first buzzer beater was just as memorable as her game-winner. With Northside struggling to get off a shot, Jackson went to the floor for a loose ball. From her knees, Jackson threw up a shot from just outside the paint that went through with 2.2 seconds remaining.
“I was just trying to get it out of there because time was running down,” said Jackson, who also had five offensive rebounds, four assists and then set up her game-winning shot by forcing a five count with 34 seconds left in overtime. “That shot is not anything I’ve ever worked on. It’s something that just happened.”
North Little Rock (19-8) almost pulled off a miracle of its own at the end of regulation.
After Northside’s Olivia Hanson hit two free throws with 33.9 seconds left for a 67-63 Lady Bears lead, North Little Rock had a shot blocked out of bounds with 15 seconds remaining. Another 10 seconds ran off the clock after the in bounds pass before senior guard Sasha Giles completed a four-point play - hitting a 22-footer and the ensuing free throw.
Hanson was then called for traveling on the in bounds play, giving North Little Rock the final possession with 2.8 seconds left.
“There [were] some dumb things going on,” Smith said. “We’re up four with 15 seconds left and foul on a three pointer. And then step out of bounds while we’re trying to run a sideline fast break off our press. ... I saw her do it. I knew the clock was running. I was thinking ‘please don’t call it, please don’t call it.’ But I knew she did it.”
Northside got away with the miscue when senior Kilah Cummings slapped the ball away from North Little Rock freshman Kyra Collier for a steal.
“We had our chances,” North Little Rock Coach Daryl Fimple said fighting back some tears. “Sasha hits a big three. ... It’s one of those teams where I’m going to look back on and we may have only been 19-8, but we had a wonderful week. We really enjoyed each other and it’s kind of what’s its all about.”
Led by Collier’s game-high 23 points, the Lady Charging Wildcats grabbed a 60-56 lead with 3:32 left in regulation before Northside scored 11 of the game’s next 14 points.
A minute into the overtime, Collier hit a three-pointer for a 70-67 North Little Rock lead, but a three-footer from Cummings (11 points, 10 rebounds) and two free throws by sophomore reserve Tiarra McDonald had the Lady Bears in front, 71-70.
Senior Jasmin Mays hit one of two free throws with 1:49 left to tie the game and no one else scored until Jackson’s game-winner.
Collier also had a team high nine rebounds for the Lady Cats while sophomore Malika Monk scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds. Junior guard Dajha Hardamon scored 10 points and Giles nine.
Northside senior Bria Caldwell hit only 3 of 17 shots, but made 8 of 12 free throws for 14 points. Junior guard Jill Myers collected her fifth foul with 3:09 remaining in regulation but finished with 12 points and a game-high five steals.
FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE 61, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 55
Senior point guard Calli White had 17 points as Fort Smith Southside (22-8) defeated Springdale Har-Ber (20-11) in a game that had 46 fouls and 60 free throws.
“It was very physical,” Southside Coach Sherry White said. “It was like we were playing in the 7A-Central again.”
Until this season and since a 7A class has been added to Arkansas’ high school classifications, Fort Smith Southside had spent every year in the 7A-West. The move to the Central has meant a more physical brand of basketball for the Lady Rebels.
“There was a little more pushing than normal, but the Central conference definitely prepared us for this game,” Southside senior forward Emily Jones said.
Har-Ber was whistled for 26 fouls and Southside was 21 of 34 from the line. The Lady Rebels were called for 20 fouls and Har-Ber made 17 of 26 free throws. Only one player, however - Har-Ber senior Tayleah Neal - fouled out.
Southside never trailed and held an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Har-Ber rallied behind the 21-point performance from sophomore post player Bailey Schalk, who scored eight points in the game’s final 2:15.
Payton Hamilton added 12 points and Drew Jones had a team-high eight rebounds. Caylee Wright added 11 points for Har-Ber while Neal had nine rebounds.
Sports, Pages 33 on 03/03/2013