4A AREA 4 GIRLS FINAL: LAMP no match for Catholic in tourney final

The Lady Knights of Catholic topped LAMP in the girls Class 4A Area 4 tournament championship on Friday. (Graham Dunn)

By GRAHAM DUNN

Coach Jill Clark may not have gotten a perfect game from her Montgomery Catholic Lady Knights on Friday.

But it was close enough.

The Knights are moving into the South Sub-Regional for the first time since 2020 after an impressive 53-34 victory over LAMP in the Class 4A, Area 4 tournament finals at the Catholic gym.

The Knights (22-7) got a double-double from Hannah Smith including 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in a game that was never in doubt.

“It’s hard sometimes to play a team three times and get similar results,” Clark said. “We didn’t play with a lot of energy and we did have a couple that have been sick but that’s no excuse.

“(Smith) is a difference maker and you see it. She had a good game.”

The Knights forced countless turnovers with no less than 21 steals, most of which turned into points.

That had LAMP coach Michael Thornton grasping for answers to the dilemma.

“I don’t know if it’s confidence,” Thornton said. “If we believe in ourselves, it makes a difference. We had a hard time against their press. We could get it to the second level but turn it over.”

While Smith was enjoying a double-double, Allysse Rudolph had nine points and four rebounds while Heaven Bailey added 11 points, three rebounds and eight assists

LAMP (17-13) got nine points each from Serenity Griffen and Adelai Luckie.

Smith earned MVP honors and was part of the all-tournament team that included her teammates Rudolph and Bailey, BTW’s Keanndra Tatum, Zemeria Rogers of Bullock County and LAMP’s duo of Adriana Cannida and Griffin.

In the Sub-regional, Catholic will face Andalusia on Monday while LAMP will travel to Geneva.