Getting close

By EASportsToday.com
- Tweet
Updated: February 26, 2019

UPDATED: Anniston girls can sense history after beating Greensboro to clear state semifinals hurdle, play Rogers for state crown

The Anniston girls basketball team checks on teammate Allasha Dudley after the star sophomore was on the verge on tears by fatigue for all she did in helping the Lady Dawgs win in the Class 4A semifinals. (Photo by Greg Warren)

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

BIRMINGHAM – Anniston coach Eddie Bullock makes no bones about the mission of his Lady Dawgs basketball team this week.

“We’re trying to make history,” he said.

Maybe that’s why they’ve turned this into a long business trip.

The Lady Dawgs moved a step closer to that elusive first state title Tuesday with a 64-50 win over Greensboro at the BJCC. They will play Rogers (31-3) Friday at 4 p.m. for the Class 4A crown.

“These girls really, really want to win,” Bullock said.

So much so sophomore Allasha Dudley was drawn to tears in the closing minutes of the game by fatigue she was trying so hard.

Dudley scored a career-high 36 points, shooting 15 of 26 from the field, dealt four assists and had five steals. Bullock said it was probably the best game of her career for him. He was particularly proud he was able to push the young star (within reason) and she responded.

“Allasha has big dreams and in order for me to get what I need to get out of her I have to push her extremely hard,” Bullock said. “She was exhausted … and if we are fortunate enough to win a championship she will always remember what she had to give in order to win, and that will propel her in the future in her basketball career.”

Dudley credited her big game on the ability to attack the basket and cash in on layups. Usually a 3-point threat, she was just 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. And all that driving can wear one out.

“I know it takes a champion to fight through the fatigue,” she said.

The Lady Dawgs (29-4) were slow out of the gate and fell behind 10-2 as Greensboro turned them over and controlled the paint. While it may have looked like time to panic from the stands, Bullock simply went with his usual substitution pattern and inserted his fast, big lineup. They responded with a 12-1 run to take their first lead.

“We’ve gotten down in the past and they know we’re capable of coming back,” Bullock said. “All we have to do is kind of settle in.”

Tekyia Jackson was part of that substitution pattern. She helped get things going for Anniston and finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and five steals. Toniah Foster added 12 points and seven rebounds.

“This is my last year and we want to win to prove everybody wrong,” Jackson said.    “We’re the underdogs and I want everybody to know we’re not going to be the underdogs anymore.”

Greensboro rallied to take a 19-18 lead with 5:51 left in the half, then Anniston sharpened its game and went on an 18-4 run the rest of the way to take a 13-point halftime lead.

Dudley led that assault. She scored Anniston’s first 12 points of that run and 14 straight for the Lady Dawgs going back to the end of the first quarter.

“What got me going was just really wanting to win really bad,” she said. “We really want to get a ring. That’s our goal.”

Anniston will be playing in only its second title game of the modern AHSAA era, having lost in 2009. Most of the Lady Dawgs’ Final Four history has been steeped in tearful losses in the semifinals. They also played in the finals of a bygone era, losing in 1929.

“Some things have to fall in place,” Bullock said. “The chemistry has to be right. The timing has to be right and most of all the good Lord has to show you some favor. And I think we’ve got favor right now, I really do.”

CLASS 4A GIRLS SEMIFINALS
Anniston 64, Greensboro 50
GREENSBORO (24-3) – Trinity Hambright 7-15 2-7 16, Reginiqua Fields 3-11 0-0 8, Adriana Jones 4-8 4-4 12, KaTyreah Williams 3-6 0-0 6, Jamesha Hoskins 3-6 0-0 6, Andrienne Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Tamia Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Kenya Travis 0-0 0-0 0, Aubre Hunter 0-0 0-0 0, Ahmadria Perry 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 21-47 6-11 50.
ANNISTON (29-4) – Allasha Dudley 15-26 4-4 36, Anna Garrett 1-2 2-2 4, Jordyn Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Kiana Montgomery 0-0 0-0 0, Toniah Foster 5-13 2-4 12, Measia Kelley 0-0 0-0 0, Airriana Colley 0-1 0-0 0, Tekyia Jackson 3-13 4-6 10, Asia Barclay 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 25-57 12-17 64.
Greensboro           15            8               13            14            –              50
Anniston                18            18            14            14            –                64
3-point goals: Greensboro 2-7 (Fields 2-5, Jones 0-2); Anniston 2-8 (Dudley 2-5, Garrett 0-1, Johnson 0-1, Colley 0-1). Rebounds: Greensboro 25 (Hambright 8); Anniston 36 (Jackson 11, Foster 7). Technical fouls: Foster. Fouled out: Fields. Total fouls: Greensboro 17, Anniston 9. Officials: Yolanda Terry, Joe Pike, Matt Driver.

Rogers 50, Childersburg 41
CHILDERSBURG (33-2) – Eunique McKinney 5-8 3-7 13, Yamaree Gaddis 2-4 2-2 6, Jakiah Roston 0-3 0-2 0, Jailah Swain 5-10 0-2 13, KeAsia McKinney 4-13 0-2 9, Aubrey Foy 0-0 0-0 0, Ramia Hancock 0-0 0-0 0, Gabbrielle Wilson 0-2 0-0 0, Takayla Swain 0-0 0-0 0, Lakenya Swain 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-40 5-15 41.
ROGERS (31-3) – Brooke Jones 6-8 6-6 19, Gloria Pounders 2-7 1-2 5, Erin Brown 1-1 0-1 2, Madilyn Krieger 3-6 3-4 9, Gabrielle Davis 5-10 0-0 10, Avery Glover 0-2 0-0 0, Sheyenne Hankins 1-2 2-2 5, Sydney Baskins 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-37 12-15 50.
Childersburg       13            7              11            10            –                41
Rogers 10            8              18            14            –                50
3-point goals: Childersburg 4-13 (E. McKinney 0-1, Roston 0-1, J. Swain 3-5, K.  McKinney 1-4, Wilson 0-2); Rogers 2-6 (Jones 1-1, Pounders 0-1, Krieger 0-1, Glover 0-2, Hankins 1-1). Rebounds: Childersburg 23 (Gaddis 6); Rogers 28 (Davis 7). Total fouls: Childersburg 15, Rogers 11. Officials: Marvin Smith, Stanley Dixon, Mark Dearen.