Win sends Lady Trojans to regional championship
Published 7:35 pm Saturday, February 20, 2016
![Messenger photo/Dan Smith India Blakely of Charles Henderson High drives past Kiresten Murphy of Vigor Saturday in a 47-38 CHS win in the opening round of the AHSAA South Regional Basketball Tournament played in the Dothan Civic Center.](https://www.troymessenger.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2016/02/web.chhsGirls2-copy.jpg)
Messenger photo/Dan Smith
India Blakely of Charles Henderson High drives past Kiresten Murphy of Vigor Saturday in a 47-38 CHS win in the opening round of the AHSAA South Regional Basketball Tournament played in the Dothan Civic Center.
DOTHAN – The Lady Trojans of Charles Henderson High School moved one game closer to the AHSAA Class 5A Final Four, with a 47-38 win over Vigor High School of Mobile Saturday afternoon in the Dothan Civic Center.
The Lady Trojans, 31-2 on the season, will now face the winner of Saturday night’s Faith Academy vs. Brewbaker Tech game in the South Regional championship at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in Dothan.
CHHS fell behind early to Vigor by four points, but took the lead in the early moments of the first quarter and never trailed again. The Lady Trojans held a 27-17 halftime lead, and led by as many as 20 points with 3:27 to go in the game, but Vigor chipped away at the advantage for the 47-38 final.
Maori Davenport, a 6-4 freshmen center, led all scorers with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Niaira Jones added 10 points, Tatyana Siler eight, India Blakely six and Alaisha Thomas scored five points to round out the scoring for CHHS.
“I’m proud of them, they fought hard and played with great heart,” said CHHS head coach Dyneshia Jones. “They played 32 minutes like I wanted them to, so overall, nothing more or less than what we have been doing this year. Everything I expected of them, they did tonight.
“I bring up to them what happened last year, and they don’t want to hear it. But they are ready to get back. We’re ready to take on whoever. It’s like a revenge thing.”
India Blakely, the lone senior on the CHHS team, said she was proud of the younger Lady Trojans.
“I’m proud of my team, as they stepped up, with them being young,” said Blakely. “They just kept the momentum going and kept their spirits up and played hard.”
Coach Jones also said she had to fuss at her team once to get them to focus on their style of play.
“We had a pretty big lead, but our girls slowed the ball down on their own, and I got on them and told them to play Charles Henderson basketball, and we got the tempo back up and started scoring. We don’t play slow basketball.”
A win Wednesday by the Lady Trojans will send them to Birmingham for the Class 5A AHSAA Final 4, with the semi-finals to be played March 2 and the state finals March 5 in the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center.