Stone slams the door
COLLEGE PARK — The script that seemed to be playing out in the second half of Thursday’s 3A semifinal at Comcast Center may have seemed all too familiar to some of the Thomas Stone Cougars.
Similar to the 4A championship game the Cougars competed in two years ago, Stone enjoyed a double-digit second-half lead over the Blake Bengals only to watch it slowly slip away. On that fateful night two years ago, Stone wound up suffering a heartbreaking defeat. But Stone’s seniors had a message to send: this year’s team plans on scripting a different ending.
Blake cut what had been a 20-point deficit to just nine early in the final period, but led by senior Stephen Battle the Cougars repelled the charge. Battle scored 14 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth as Stone went on to clinch a spot in Saturday’s 3A championship game by virtue of a 76-53 win.
Stone will play Milford Mill at Comcast Center at 3 p.m. on Saturday for the 3A championship.
After taking a 32-14 lead into the half, Stone (23-1) suffered from foul trouble, as seniors Kendal Smith and Dytanya Johnson were forced to the bench. With that, Blake (19-4) started to find a little more success on the offensive end, created turnovers and slowly chipped away at the deficit.
“I had to step up with those two out,” Battle said. “I had to be a leader.”
Lead, he did. Battle scored 21 second-half points to ensure that Stone would not fall victim to another late-game comeback. Battle also grabbed 10 rebounds on the night, while both Johnson and Smith also produced double-doubles. Johnson scored 18 and hauled in 10 boards, while Smith had 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Saturday’s 3A title game will mark the second time in the past three seasons that Stone has advanced to a state championship game. The Cougars lost to Springbrook 61-57 for the 4A championship two years ago, and last year lost by two points to Wise in the 4A semifinals.
Stone 76, Blake 53
S 17 15 16 28
B 5 9 21 18
Stone: Battle 25, Johnson 18, Eackles 11, Smith 10, Travers 6, Briscoe 2, Jackson 2, Sharpe 2
Blake: Hedley 23, Frazier 15, Agwu 7, Hedgepeth 3, Dalgetty 2, Miller 2, McGugan 1
Free throws: Stone 19-24; Blake 16-19
Three-pointers: Stone 1 (Eackles); Blake 5 (Frazier 2, Hedley 2, Hedgepeth)
E-mail Andy States at astates@smacsportsnet.com
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