No. 1 Wall Downs Rival Brock to Move into the Regional Championship

PLAINVIEW, TX -- The Wall Lady Hawks downed  Brock 56-49 in the Class 3A Region I semifinals to book their place in regional championship at Wayland Baptist.

Wall won the tip off to start the game, but were not able to score on their first possession. They started out in a man defense, and the Eagles were able to score first. Claire Lewis for the Eagles hit a three-pointer after this possession to give them a 5-0 lead. Sawyer Lloyd got her first steal of the night, but her layup was no good. Jayden Fiebiger was able to grab the rebound, where she was fouled but missed both free throws. Wall was not able to score up until the point of the first substitutions. Fiebiger was able to take off the lid on the basket as she makes a tough first lay-up.

"We knew that Brock was a good offensive team and that they could score quick," said head coach Tate Lombard. "If we could get some stops, we could get some offense going and Fiebiger stepped up big early to help us relax. The rest of the team fed off of that and we scored the ball better." 

Samantha Rocha and Fiebiger played excellent defense in the quarter. They were able to get multiple blocks down low. Fiebiger was taken out of the game with two minutes left in the quarter after having all four of Wall's points. She was placed back in the game within the next minute along with Sawyer Lloyd due to a turnover that turned into two free throws. Lloyd came off the bench and had her first points by hitting a pull up mid-range jumper. She then threw an assist to Abby Alexander for a wide open three pointer. The little push they made at the end of the quarter helped them close the gap as they trailed 12-9. 

Brock scored the first points of the second quarter, but Lloyd was able to one up them with a pull up jumper from three-point range. This point, plus some stellar defense, started the run that tied the game up. Kylie Philips completed comeback with a shot and foul, but she missed the free throw. The Eagles then came down and found Jessica Leek for a three to take the lead back. Lloyd drove the lane and sacrificed her self for a contacted left-handed lay-up to counter. Kylie Phillips and Lloyd both made three-pointers in the last minute of the quarter to give them a 26-21 lead at the half. 

"I think those two shots were huge," Lombard said on the final minute of the half. "They were a huge momentum swing for us to take the lead going into the third quarter." 

Wall shot 40 percent from the field, and 50 percent from three-point range at half time. They had 14 rebounds, five turnovers, four block, and four steals. Lloyd has 10 points, three assists, one block, and two steals. Fiebiger has six points, five rebounds, and three blocks. 

Brock shot 44 percent from the field, and 66 percent from three-point range in the first half. They had 15 rebounds, 10 turnovers, and two steals. Olivia Lewis has six points and one steal. 

Brock started with the ball, but they soon turned it over to the Lady Hawks. They were not able to capitalize on the turnover. The Lady Eagles scored the first basket with a three-pointer, but Fiebiger answered with a post move on the other end. Brock's three pointers kept the Lady Eagles in the ball game. They were able to tie the game back up after a three-pointer and then a layup. At the half way point in the quarter the score was 33-33. 

Lloyd stole the ball on a press by herself off a lazy pass by the Eagles inbounder. She was able to score an easy layup and take the lead. Leeks favorite play all night was to come off of double screen into a back door cut. Most of her points came from there including the one to tie up the game. Lloyd and Fiebiger took over the game in the third. If it wasn't Lloyd making an athletic move to get a score, it was Fiebiger post game that was helping them build the lead. 

"I've coached Sawyer for four years and she's a heck of a player," said coach Lombard on Lloyd's defensive play. "She made so many team plays, and I think her teammates would be the first people to tell you that."

With 45 seconds left in the quarter, Kasandra Boxwell and Phillips collided while Phillips went up for a layup. She made the basket and was assisted by Lloyd. Alexander made a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Wall their biggest lead of the game 44-37. Lloyd and Fiebiger had a combined eleven points in the quarter. 

The Lady Hawks started with the ball which gave Rocha a perfect chance at a layup. After a few idle possessions for both teams Lloyd stole the ball, but missed the free throw. Fiebiger was there to get the rebound, missed, grab the rebound again, and got the basket. Lloyd stole the ball on the next possession as well, but this time she threw it to Fiebiger for the open layup. Brock took a timeout after the Lady Hawks lead was pushed to nine with only four minutes left. 

The Eagles took a timeout with 1:30 left on the clock, but wall's tough defense made the Eagles run a lot of quality time off of the clock. They were able to score and cut the lead to seven. Brock came out in a full court trap press to try and get Wall to cough up the ball. Free throw misses and late turnovers by Wall cut their lead to only three with 19 seconds left. Wall called a timeout before Phillips could shoot her free throws, and it helped as she made both of them. These two free throws sealed the game with the final being 56-49.

The Lady Hawks move to the Regional Championship game. 

"We are going to continue to be who we are," said coach Lombard on tomorrow's game. "We just have to show up, be the best version of ourself, and I think we're ready for that challenge." 

Wall shot 42 percent from the field, and 29 percent from three-point range. They had 29 rebounds, seven turnovers, five block, and seven steals. Lloyd has 19 points, six assists, one block, and five steals. Fiebiger has 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks. 

Brock shot 50 percent from the field, and 50 percent from three-point range. They had 25 rebounds, 15 turnovers, and three steals. Kasaundra Boxwell had 15 points.