CLASS 3A GIRLS SEMIS: Trinity gets key bucket to hold off Clements to advance

Clements Tay Tay Farrar is defended by Trinity’s Francie Morris in the Class 3A semifinals Tuesday at the BJCC Arena. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

BIRMINGHAM – Trinity coach Blake Smith called it the play of the game.

Maddie Smith, who made the play, didn’t even remember it.

Trinity was in desperate need of a positive play in the final minutes of Tuesday’s 3A semifinal between the Wildcats and Clements at Legacy Arena. The Wildcats had gone two minutes and 20 seconds without a point and the Colts were mounting a comeback.

That’s when Maddie Smith took charge, driving through the lane for a basket as she was fouled by Kaley McEwen, then sinking the bonus free throw to help the Wildcats hold off Clements 41-39 and advance to the finals for the second consecutive year.

“She’s the mad dog,” Blake Smith said. “She’s carried the load – and I don’t mean scoring – she just wears everything for the team. She’s the glue. That play, that was her. I think that was the play of the game.”

Smith scored 11 of her game-high 15 points in the final 13 minutes of the game, taking over after teammate Francie Morris fouled out and Clements, which never led, threatened to grab the lead.

“Honestly, I don’t remember that much of it because I was so much into the game,” Maddie Smith said. “I just knew without Francie out there … I had to go get a point.”

Trinity (26-6) will face Plainview (31-5) for the 3A state championship on Friday at 12:30 p.m. Plainview defeated Cottage Hill Christian 81-24 in a Tuesday semifinal.

The mid-morning battle between Trinity and Clements, a rematch of last year’s 3A finals, didn’t feature a lot of offense as both teams were focused on their respective defense’s ability to shut down their opponent.

Morris, who didn’t score a lot in last year’s final and has been sidelined for much of the last two weeks with an ankle injury, quickly grabbed everyone’s attention with three 3-pointers in the first 11 minutes of the game. She finished with 12 points, 11 in the first half.

“Last week, I was probably like 90 (percent),” Morris said. “This week, it hurts a little but not too much. Shooting wise, I was just so thankful that my shots were going in. Last week was rough. I was thankful, thank the Lord, that He let me make some shots today.”

Her final 3-pointer staked the Wildcats to an eight-point lead they were able to sustain for much of the first three quarters. Morris missed the early part of the season with a labrum tear from volleyball, so her return to mid-season form was crucial for Trinity’s chances.

“Just when I feel like we’re really getting our rhythm, she messes up her ankle,” Blake Smith said. “She has just fought and fought and fought to be able to play. And with little time in practice, very little time in games, she looks great for the limited ability she’s been able to practice.”

Tay Tay Farrar led Clements (24-10) with 13 points as Maddie Smith’s defense on Leah Childress held the Colts’ top player to eight points.

“I’m very proud,” Clements coach Shane Childress said. “We worked on it a lot -- you’re down eight, you’ve got eight minutes; you’re down six, you’ve got four minutes. Don’t panic. They held their composure and we were right there, one basket away from moving on.”

That one basket would come in the final frantic seconds of the game as Leah Childress stepped behind a screen and launched a 3-point attempt that was too strong. The Colts rebounded, got the ball back to Childress and she fired – and missed – again.

“We didn’t have a timeout so we really didn’t have a plan,” she said. “It was just a ball screen. The first one was not really a look I wanted but I got it back and it was definitely one I could have made.”

Tay Tay Farrar was fouled with one second left and made the first free-throw attempt. She purposely missed the second attempt and officials awarded the ball to Trinity. The Wildcats inbounded the ball to Maddie Smith, who cradled it as time ran out.

“One thing I told Coach Blake – we’ve known each other a while – is you will never, ever beat me again,” Shane Childress said, “because you’re going to 4A.”

Tuesday’s victory ensured that both Trinity basketball programs will be elevated to 4A next season by Competitive Balance Factor.