Lady Flames are state champions with 47-45 victory
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MANSFIELD — The Faith Academy of Marble Falls girls basketball team has many accomplishments of which players, coaches and fans are proud.
Add a Class 2A state championship to the list after the Lady Flames defeated New Braunfels Christian 47-45 on March 1 in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools state tournament.
“This is what every kid dreams of,” Faith senior forward Jo Anna Piatek said. “I’ve played basketball my whole life. I’ve spent so many hours in the gym. This made it pay off.”
The Lady Flames (31-4) captured their first state title in the program’s history, joining the 1993-94 Dripping Springs Lady Tigers as the only other team coached by Jerry English to win a state championship.
English has guided 12 teams to the state final in a career that spans more than four decades.
“There was never any doubt we were going to win,” he said. “Any true athlete never wants to lose the last game. We have unfortunately had it happen several times.”
The Lady Flames led the entire game and had some anxious moments.
Trailing 33-29 headed into the final period, NBC changed up its approach.
Instead of walking the ball to midcourt to start their offense, the Lady Wildcats began to run. Instead of playing a half-court defense, NBC went to a full-court press.
Still, Faith responded with buckets on backdoor cuts and big-time free throws.
And when the game got close, the Lady Flames huddled together and talked.
“We know how to block out, we know how to rebound,” Piatek recalled her teammates saying.
In the final 90 seconds, the Lady Flames found themselves on the line. Senior forward Kristen Cherry and Piatek and junior guard Taylor Denton combined to make 8 of 10 foul shots to preserve the victory.
NBC senior guard Shelby Miscule, who finished with 39 points, hit a shot and was fouled to trim the deficit to 46-44 with three seconds left.
In back-to-back timeouts, Miscule was told to miss the free throw. Instead, the ball hit the backboard and went in.
Piatek caught the inbounds pass and was fouled with one second left. She made the first free throw and missed the second to ensure NBC couldn’t attempt a miracle shot.
Faith was 23 of 32 from the foul line for the contest, including 12 of 16 in the final period.
“We’ve been shooting lots of free throws for a week,” Cherry said.
The Lady Flames started the contest on a 9-3 run thanks to baskets from Denton, senior forward Juliette Fisher and Cherry and sophomore post Hannah Cozby. By the end, Faith led 11-6.
The Lady Wildcats trimmed the deficit to 11-10 in the second quarter. But Faith responded with an 8-0 run thanks to baskets from Piatek, freshman post Alicia Williams, Cherry and Cozby.
The two squads each scored 13 points in the third period with the Lady Flames never leading by more than six points but never trailing either.
Cherry led with 13 points followed by Cozby with 11 and Denton with nine points and six defensive rebounds. Fisher scored seven points, Piatek dropped in five points and dished out five assists, and Williams finished with two points.
“I thought we showed a tremendous amount of courage,” English said. “The word I would use to describe this group is tenacity. I can’t tell you how hard they fought.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com