GIRLS 4A SEMIS: Trinity jumps out to big lead on the way to berth in state finals

Trinity’s Mya Moskowitz goes for the steal in the Wildcats’ win over Plainview on Tuesday in the Class 4A semifinals at the Legacy Arena. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

BIRMINGHAM -- Never mind Maddie Smith had the toughest defensive assignment on the court. The Trinity senior also found a little time for offense.

Smith was assigned to guard Plainview sophomore Sawyer Kate Hulgan, one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the country.

“Maddie’s tenacious,” said her father, Trinity coach Blake Smith. “It’s not just that she’s the fastest person, but she’s a bulldog. When you put her on an assignment like that, she has the physicality, the instincts and the foot speed. Her mind is always on. That makes it hard for somebody like that. For five years, when we’ve played teams, she’s taken away their best player.”

Meanwhile, Smith went 4 for 4 from the 3-point arc in the first six minutes of the game, helping her team to a 16-0 lead as the two-time defending state champion Wildcats blasted Plainview 67-43 in the 4A semifinals at Legacy Arena on Tuesday night.

“I have one or two more games left to play with the best team I could ever ask for,” she said. “It’s really just joy and trying to take in the moment and enjoy playing with these people that I love so much.”

The rematch of last year’s 3A championship game followed a different script, but resulted in the same outcome as Trinity (29-4) advanced to the championship game for the third consecutive year and will face Good Hope in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 4A state basketball tournament on Friday at Legacy Arena at 4 p.m.

Plainview ends the season at 30-6.

With Hulgan shut down -- she only attempted two 3-point shots in the game -- the Bears would look to Lauren Jimmerson to pick up the scoring slack, but quickly discovered their first goal was to overcome a pressing defense that turned Plainview turnovers into Trinity layups.

Trinity would come up with 21 steals in the game after forcing 25 Plainview turnovers.

“We thought we could, but you never know for sure,” Blake Smith said. “Clinton Adams, my assistant and one of my best friends, convinced me to do it. He made that call. About 30 seconds in, I was like, ‘That was the right call.’”

A Jimmerson 3-pointer cut Trinity’s lead briefly to nine points, but the Wildcats led by double digits the remainder of the game as Plainview struggled to put successful possessions together because of the Trinity pressure.

“We’ve seen it some (on film) in the past,” Plainview coach Luke Griggs said. “They didn’t last year and they pretty much beat us by 20 last year. I thought they would do the same thing, so we prepared for the halfcourt ‘man’ and the pressure caught us off guard, to be honest.”

After Smith scored 14 of Trinity’s first 18 points, she resorted to distributing the ball in the second half. Smith hit 5 of 6 from the 3-point arc to finish with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and nine steals.

“She’s a leader on this team and when she’s doing good and doing what she’s supposed to do, it just makes everybody else fall right in line,” said Trinity senior Mya Moskowitz. “We all have the energy that she brings.”

Francie Morris led Trinity with 20 points, six rebounds, two assists and six steals, followed by Maddie Smith, Moskowitz with 13 points and four rebounds and Lilly Smith with 10 points, two assists and four steals.

“Trinity is a beast,” Griggs said. “They’ve got good players, good coaches. Hat’s off to them, they’re a real team, the best team in Alabama, might be.”

Piper Anderson led Plainview with 12 points, followed by Jimmerson with seven and Hulgan with six.