Top-seeded Bishop McGuinness faced off against defending state champion Cherokee High School in the 1A West regional final on Tuesday night. The riveting game came down to the final seconds with Cherokee defeating Bishop 65-61.
Cherokee High, located on a reservation in Western North Carolina, is known for a passionate fanbase that made the three-hour trek to Winston-Salem’s LJVM Coliseum.
The cheers from Braves fans dwarfed anything the local crowd could muster. As Bishop kept committing turnovers and Cherokee continued scoring, it became difficult for the Lady Villains to regain their composure.
Bishop opted to focus on defending the perimeter and shutting down Cherokee’s three-point talent. This inevitably resulted in Cherokee’s center running up the point total inside the paint, though the team’s leading point guard hyperextended her knee midway through the first quarter and did not return to the game.
Bishop made the most of this opportunity, clawing back to end the first quarter down by just three, 15-12.
The Lady Villains led for the first time in the game halfway through the second quarter. Several steals and a couple of energy-infusing fouls on a made basket helped swing the momentum their way and they led 34-25 at halftime.
Bishop held their largest lead of the night early in the third quarter, up 12 points with 6:59 to go. Cherokee stepped up their defense, holding all-star Adelaide Jernigan to just three points. They hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to fire up the crowd going into the fourth, only down 48-42.
Jenna Moore hit a three-pointer and Jernigan converted a block into a fast-break layup, but Cherokee kept scoring.
Chaos ensued with 3:36 left in the game as the ball changed possession at least five times in the span of 10 seconds. Both teams combined committed a whopping 50 turnovers, with 28 coming from Bishop McGuinness.
Cherokee stole the ball from Jernigan, who got it back and went for a fast-break layup but was blocked by a trailing Cherokee player. Cherokee scored and tied the game 56-56 with two minutes to go. The roar of the crowd inside the Coliseum was deafening.
Jernigan hit a three-pointer, but key Bishop player Claire Sullivan fouled out with 1:34 to go. Cherokee made its free throws to tie it back up at 59-59.
Cherokee fans made their displeasure known when the team was called for a non-shooting foul that put Bishop in the bonus and sent Morgan Aho to the line. She missed both free throws but Jernigan snagged the rebound and scored.
Cherokee scored to tie it 61-61 with 43 seconds remaining. A jump ball retained possession for Bishop McGuinness.
Out of the timeout, Jernigan started to execute the play but was called for traveling with 24 seconds to go.
Cherokee headed downcourt and immediately drilled a three-pointer. The Lady Villains’ next possession ended in the ball going out of bounds off Bishop. They fouled with three seconds remaining and Cherokee made one of two free throws, putting them ahead 65-61 and ending the Lady Villains’ season.
Jernigan finished with 25 points and seven rebounds. Jenna Moore scored 14 points, went four for eight from the three-point line, and had five steals. Claire Sullivan added 13 points.
“It was two really good teams going blow for blow all game. It was punch-counterpunch and they hit the last punch and you give them credit for that,” head coach Brian Robinson told reporters in the post-game press conference. “For my girls, I know they’re hurting, but I’m so proud of them. … I hate that we’re not going to be together tomorrow, but they took us on a great ride this year.”
Robinson spoke about the lasting legacy of star player Jernigan, who will play basketball at N.C. State next year: “She was a great leader for us this year and all four years. She has nothing to hang her head about at all. … Obviously we’re going to miss her next year, but I’m thankful for what she did for the program. She’s leaving here with two state championships, got us deep in the playoffs two other years and she is really special to me and I’m really going to miss her.”
Jernigan herself had this to say when reflecting on the season: “I’d say that this is by far my favorite team not just because it’s my senior year, but just because the chemistry we had. We’re really close off the court too and I just think that means a lot. And yes, we did lose tonight, but I would not want to lose with anybody else.”
Check out photos from the game on Scope News Kernersville’s Instagram account.
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