Stegall owns OT in WRHS battle with Veterans

A state champion in the world of high school track and

field, Asha Stegall of Warner Robins High put on a championship basketball

performance in overtime Saturday. By scoring all 11 of her team’s points in

four minutes, the Demonettes outlasted Veterans High at home 47-38.

Stegall stole the basketball twice, sank a 3-pointer and was

nearly perfect in an area that’s been a struggle of late for Tom Mobley’s crew.

She made six foul shots, giving her team 14 for the game out of 25 attempts. In

all, the senior guard had 20 points, all of them coming after the first period.

Ce Ce Carroll, a senior recently added to Mobley’s starting

lineup, sank three 3-pointers for nine points. Destini Johnson, now in a

back-up guard role, had eight points plus an overtime steal.

For Veterans and coach Nicole Miranda, forward Jalyn

Slaugher had 14 points and Courtney Palmer netted 12, all from outside the arc.

Each team entered the Warner Robins gym off road games in

their respective regions. Palmer began her night of 3-point success at the

onset to push the Lady Warhawks ahead by five. Because both Mobley and Miranda

wanted to play a halfcourt zone, it was an unofficial 3-point shooting contest

for a spell. Carroll got her first try from long range to fall for Warner

Robins’ first points.

Having enough of settling for jumpers, players starting

taking the basketball inside, but a 5-5 tied game didn’t change. The possession

arrow did change, three times on jump ball whistles.

At 2:57, Palmer broke the tie on her second trey. With nine

seconds to play, the Demonettes committed a turnover, but Veterans missed a

shot at the buzzer.

Khayla Owens of the Lady Warhawks scored the game’s first

inside points on a put-back. That was the first possession of the second

quarter for an 11-5 lead. Carroll’s second 3 started the Demonettes on a spurt

to a one-point deficit, but giveaways hurt the home team, and Kya Poe-Cochran

threw in her own miss shot in the lane.

Halfway through the second quarter, the Demonettes took

their first lead at 14-13. Stegall showed her state championship speed in

scoring two times, and Warner Robins completed an 8-1 run at the 1:19 mark.

Ambler Dacien unleashed an uncontested 3, and the Demonettes

went into the half up 21-14.

Kate Hill stuck in a jumper early in the third quarter, and

Warner Robins went up as much as 10. Slaughter, from the low block, scored five

points in a row. Freshman Tesia Walker put back an offensive board for the home

club, but at 2:52 Aspen Coggins ended a cold shooting streak with a long 2.

Against heavy pressure, Palmer found Owens for a basket bringing Veterans

within three, 27-24.

The period began with a seven-point margin, and that’s how

it would end as Johnson scored on penetration and Stegall, appearing to be out

of control dribbling the basketball, had full control of a shot that made it

31-24.

Mobley had his players hold the ball outside the zone on

numerous occasions, and as Stegall penetrated she found Carroll open for a 3

and 34-26 game. Palmer had two assists to Slaughter in the fourth, and at 4:49

nailed a 3 for 34-31. She tied the game more than a minute later.

For the first time in the second half, the Lady Warhawks

went in front after gaining possession on a jump ball. Kerrigan Poe-Cochran

found a kind roll on a foul-line jumper.

The game would go to overtime, though, due to missed

opportunities in the last two minutes. Warner Robins tied it 36-36 on free

throws, but Kerrigan Poe-Cochran blocked a shot by Stegall. Veterans had the

ball at :33.4, but Johnson stole the ball. She missed her ensuing lay-up, and

as the Lady Warhawks sprinted the other way, there was a foul at :16.8. It was

one-and-one, and the front end didn’t go.

On Friday, Warner Robins traveled to Jones County High for

2-AAAAA action. The Demon boys topped Jarquez Smith and the Greyhounds 61-51.

Juvaun Shine had 26 points.

The Demonettes were winners 45-34 but shot 50 percent,

13-for-26, in free throws. Stegall scored 17 points and Walker 10.

Veterans High had a rough visit to Rutland High in Macon.

Miranda and the Lady Warhawks won the previous two meetings

with the Lady Hurricanes, both at home. Only one counted in Region 2-AAAA, and

in the league rematch Rutland took the win 46-36.

The Lady Warhawks led 14-10 at the half and 21-20 after

three quarters. Rutland attempted 23 foul shots in the fourth period alone,

making 15. Veterans had just four free throws and 13 points from the floor.

Coggins had 10 for the game and Slaughter nine.

Rutland’s boys scored 33 in the fourth quarter to take a

victory from the Warhawks 71-70. Veterans was ahead at the half 42-25. Jonathan

Robertson had 27 points and D.J. Rozier 16.

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