Western’s Maddie Burns (13) pulls down a defensive rebound.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
After junior Jeanne Cordova hit a three-pointer at the buzzer mere seconds after entering the game for the first time to send the game to overtime, Western Harnett won 49-44 in overtime at Harnett Central in the first round of the Bennie Pollock Memorial girls basketball tournament Monday.
“We’ve practiced pretty hard on situations that would just make us better,” said Western Harnett coach Matthew Smith. “Jeanne knocks down a Hail Mary. It still counts as a three, but it was a Hail Mary. We don’t practice that type of stuff, but we practice, ‘If you’re open and you’ve got the ball, shoot the ball,’ and that’s what she did. And it went in, luckily.
Overall, I thought we played pretty well defensively in the first half. We moved around in the 2-3. Hat’s off to Harnett Central. They’re a good coached ball team, always. No. 24 (Shay Ward), she’s a heck of a ball player. I thought we rebounded pretty well for a few stretches and then we took off for a few stretches. Overall, I’m proud of the girls. It’s been years since I can remember us beating Harnett Central.”
The win by the Eagles (0-1) guarantees a new champion, as the Trojans (0-1) were the defending champions from the 2019 tournament, then known as the Harnett County Tip-Off. There was no tournament in 2020 because of COVID-19.
Sophomore Shalyna McCants had 18 points and senior Makenyia Mackey had 11 points to lead the Eagles.
“(McCants) showed that she’s matured since her freshman year,” Smith said. “She showed that’s she’s bought into the system. She showed that it’s not just about Shay. She never really was that way, but she showed that it’s not just about Shay, that she wants each and every teammate to do what they can and they want to win for Western.”
Junior Maddie Burns had eight points. Smith said her defense and rebounding were major factors for the Eagles.
“She can put her hands on the ball any time that she wants,” Smith said. “Wherever it is, she can get her hands on the ball. And she made some shots. She had a really big game.”
Sydney Jackson had five points. Cordova had three points. Trinity Gaither and Savana Johnson had two points apiece.
Senior Shay Ward had 20 points and sophomore Victoria Langdon had 11 points to lead the Trojans.
KeErica Snead had six points. JoNese Monroe had five points. Leah Greer had two points.
After a back-and-forth game, Central held a late 38-35. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Cordova entered the game after Gaither fouled out. She later hit a three at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
“I grabbed (Cordova) by the arm and said ‘Go,’” Smith said. “She said, ‘Who am I going in for?’ I said, ‘I’ll make my mind up when I decide and if you get a shot, shoot the shot.’ And she did and it went in.”
With the game tied 44-44 in the extra frame, a pair of free throws from McCants started the Eagles on a 5-0 run to end the game.
Harnett Central hosts Overhills in the girls consolation game at 6 p.m. tonight.
Western Harnett will meet Triton in the championship game at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. It will be only the second time the Hawks and Eagles have met in the championship and the first time since 1998. Bennie Pollock, the tournament’s namesake, was the Eagles’ coach at that time.
JoNese Monroe scores for host Harnett Central on Monday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Sydney Jackson scores for the Western Harnett girls.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Shalyna McCants tallies from close range for the Lady Eagles.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Shay Ward finishes at the offensive end for the Lady Trojans.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
