LaGrange challenged Wossman on Saturday as much as any postseason opponent during the Lady Wildcats’ recent run of championships.
But even with the resilient Lady Gators trimming the deficit to just four points heading to the fourth quarter, coach Otis Robinson’s squad was once again up to the task.
No. 4 Wossman scored the first eight points of the final quarter to extend their lead back to double-digits and had enough answers the rest of the way to secure the 50-39 victory and a fifth straight title.
“It was a long, hard fight as far as this season,” Robinson said. “Coming into this season, we knew what we had to do, we knew the battles we had to battle, and we persevered and came through. Hat goes off to coach (La’Keem) Holmes with LaGrange. Our coaching style is similar, but it tends to be like that when you’re dealing with two football players. Coach Holmes played football, he coached football and I coached football, so we have that mindset of defense and let defense carry over to the offense.”
No championship-game opponent had come closer than 17 points of the Lady Wildcats during their current dynasty.
Only one postseason opponent, Albany in the 2022 semifinals, had managed to stay within single-digits.
No. 2 LaGrange was positioned for at least distinction — if not more — even after having to overcome a nightmare start and 16-1 deficit after the first quarter.
“We just started off slow, man,” Holmes said. “We didn’t start with the type of the energy we needed in that game. Starting down 16-1, and we have to play catch-up, you exert so much energy trying to catch up. And honestly it’s just the little things. Rebounding. We’re stopping possessions, but we’re not ending possessions. They struggled to score, but then when you get to the free-throw line because of putbacks or our inability to secure rebounds. That’s an effort thing.
“I don’t think our effort was where it needed to be in the first quarter. But on the flip side, I’m very proud because then the ‘dog’ started to come in us, and we started to do better.”
The Lady Wildcats out-rebounded the Lady Gators, 15-4, in the opening period and racked up nine second-chance points and 10 points in the paint.
They won the game in each of those areas, but were battled much more evenly by LaGrange in each the rest of the way.
And it showed on the scoreboard.
“On offense we started slowing down and doing our sets, and on defense we leaned into what we’re good at: we caused chaos,” Holmes said. “And I believe we caused them to turn over the ball more than what they usually do and they shot a lower percentage. You know, I knew it was gonna be a rock-fight. I just hoped that we were holding the rock last, but, hey, it is what it is. I’m very proud of the team and the way they didn’t give up.”
Sophomore forward Heaven Weeks and junior wings Makaiya Johnson and Taylar Wright pieced together the scoring for Wossman’s pivotal 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter.
But, as always, the Lady Wildcats hung their hats on the other end of the court as the catalyst, holding the Lady Gators scoreless for nearly five minutes to regain control.
“Coach Rob always says he’s more of a defense guy,” Johnson said. “He doesn’t really care about the offense part, so I knew that I had to lock down on defense, and I knew that the defense would lead to offense. And that’s what it did tonight.”
Weeks and Johnson led the way with double-doubles.
The sophomore forward earned MVP honors with game-highs of 26 points and 16 rebounds and team-highs of four steals and a blocked shot.
“I felt good,” Weeks said. “I knew people were counting on me to step up and do what I had to do, so I did it.”
And the junior wing added 11 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
“Makaiya is one of those I stay on all the time,” Robinson said. “Because one thing about Makaiya is if she gets tired, she shows, so we have to keep her going. But one thing, when she’s in the game, she’s very active. She’s gonna get her hands in the passing lanes. We had her holding (LaGrange sophomore forward Kayla) Harding.”
Sophomore guard London Landers chipped in another seven points, nine rebounds and two assists, and Wright had four points, five boards, two assists and a steal.
“Either one of these girls (Weeks and Johnson) probably could’ve gone to another school in the area and averaged 30 to 40 points a game,” Robinson said. “But with my program, it’s not like that. We might have four or five people in double-digits, and it might not be over 15 points. So they buy into that because they want to win.
Harding led LaGrange with 13 points, six rebounds and a steal.
And senior guard Marleigh Alexis joined her in double-digits with 12 points, five rebounds and a steal.
