SOUTH REGIONAL RECAP: Pike Road, Park Crossing girls to meet in final; Carver boys advance

Pike Road and Park Crossing girls will meet to decide the Class 6A South Regional championship next week after wins on Thursday. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

It took a little more than a quarter to figure it out, but once the Pike Road Patriots got their offense rolling, the Patriots rolled into the regional finals for only the second time in school history.

“I told them all we have to do is be patient in our offense and we’ll get anything we want,” Pike Road coach Barry Fencher said. “A big game like this, there’s some nervousness but once we started picking it up and making the right passes, we were getting layups on the other end.”

The Patriots (25-6) will face area rival Park Crossing (27-1) in the South Regional championship game on Tuesday at 9 a.m. The Thunderbirds have won each of the previous three meetings this year.

Pike Road and Theodore were locked in an 8-8 tie at the end of the first quarter of Thursday’s regional semifinal as the Partiots struggled to find their rhythm. Over the next seven minutes, they would outscore the Bobcats 11-0 to take charge of the game. 

“They were throwing it to the wrong person,” Fencher said of his players. “Any time like that, when they’re sending two people at you, you don’t put it on the floor. You’ve got to find the open person. We were trying to dribble through it. That’s what we talked about at halftime. There’s only five people on the floor. If two of them are on you, somebody’s open.”

Jazz Johnson had 12 points, seven steals and six rebounds to lead the Patriots, while KJ Fencher added 11 points. Pike Road also picked up some help from first-year junior Audrey Blaine, a transfer from Missouri who had eight points, six rebounds and a team-high three assists.

“When she came in, we told her she was going to be a big part of what we do offensively and defensively,” Fencher said. “Audrey is a veteran player. She’s been playing big-time basketball all her life. We’re just glad to have her.” 

Against a bigger lineup, the Patriots also got valuable help in the post from Tomeria Blythe, who had nine points in 15 minutes of playing time. 

“She’s got that ability,” Fencher said. “If she makes six to eight points a game, we’re in good shape.”

Pike Road has reached the sub-regional round in all six years of existence, but has only reached the regional final twice. In 2020, the Patriots earned a berth to the state tournament, but hasn’t returned to the regional finals again until this season. 

“The last time we were here, Jazz (Johnson) was a sophomore, the rest of them were freshmen,” Fencher recalled. “I knew if we didn’t start out good, it was going to be a bad thing. Charles Henderson got us because we were so young. But this is a veteran team now.”

Park Crossing girls 69, Murphy 38

The Lady Birds outscored Murphy by 13 points in the second quarter to pull away and advance to the Class 6A South Regional final Thursday at Garrett Coliseum.

Saniya Jackson led the way with 23 points and five steals while Tariah Magee added 13 points for Park Crossing (27-1). The Birds held Murphy (15-16) to just 32 percent shooting from the field.

Park Crossing and Pike Road will meet Tuesday for the regional championship.

G.W. Carver boys 64, Russell County 57

Four players scored in double figures as the Wolverines (17-14) reached the Class 6A South Regional finals with the win on Thursday at Garrett Coliseum.

Coner McPherson led the way with 17 points and Zander Frazier added 15 to lead Carver to the win. Amarian Griffin and Landon Parker also reached double figures with 12 and 10 points apiece.

The Wolverines will face Park Crossing in the regional final on Tuesday.