‘Gave everything’

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: February 14, 2025

Jacksonville girls push Wenonah to the limit in first regional appearance since 2018, but size, press help Dragons advance.

**Cover photo: Jacksonville’s Alexis Phillips shoots against Wenonah during Friday’s Northeast Regional Class 5A semifinals in Pete Mathews Coliseum. (Photo by Joe Medley/East Alabama Sports Today)**

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

JACKSONVILLE — The first Northeast Regional appearance for Jacksonville’s girls since 2018 looked like it would become an extended stay.

Then Wenonah turned up its press.

Samarian Franklin, Zariah Evans and Aariyahan Parker scored 13 points apiece, and the Dragons erased a six-point deficit starting late in the third quarter and advanced, 55-50.

Wenonah (30-4) will play the Ramsay-Springville winner in Wednesday’s Class 5A regional final at 9 a.m.

Jacksonville finished 24-8.

“I thought the girls gave everything that they had,” Jacksonville coach Corey Mize said. “They fought the entire 32 minutes and then some.

“Our defense was some of the best it’s ever been. Preparing for this team. We prepared for this team, and I thought we went out and executed the best that we could.”

With the 6-foot-2 Parker and 6-foot Evans giving Wenonah a size advantage, the Dragons outscored Jacksonville 38-16 in the paint. They also had 10-1 edge in points off the bench.

Both teams had 26 turnovers, but Wenonah had a 24-19 edge in points off of turnovers.

Jacksonville got to the foul line and hit 22 free throws to Wenonah’s eight but also missed 12 to Wenonah’s nine.

Jacksonville got 15 points from Neveah Nicholson and 13 from Ontarriah Braxtgon and led 33-27 on Alexis Phillips’ 3-pointer at 4:29 of the third quarter.

Wenonah turned up the pressure and outscored Jacksonville 15-3 over the next 6:05 to take the lead and would never relinquish it.

“We just didn’t want to go home,” Wenonah coach Trellice Moore said.

Jacksonville closed the gap to 50-48 when Braxton rebounded DeAsia Prothro’s missed free throw, put it back in, got fouled and hit the free throw at 2:24, but Wenonah scored the next five points.

“Sometimes, in life, this is just the way it goes,” Mize said. “I couldn’t be more proud of these girls. They fought with everything they had out there. They really showed what Jacksonville basketball needs to be about.”