Rayana Minard buzzer-beater wins 4A title for Lake Norman girls basketball

Call all of them the wonderful 7.

7 of Lake Norman's girls basketball gamers got on the crew, participating in necessary duties as the Wildcats were the state runner-up two years back.

Give the impressive 7 their much-awaited bands.

Pond Norman won the N.C. Secondary school Athletic Organization 4A women basketball champion 43-41 over Wakefield in Sunday's last at Lawrence Joel Remembrance Amphitheatre.

In the last secs of a tied game, Rayana Minard scored a backdoor layup as time went out along with a help coming from Alexis Shehan to pull off the win.

Offered how each staff's local finals went, it was actually forecasted to be a fight of pace with Wakefield more systematic and also Lake Norman more run-and-gun.

But jobs were actually reversed in the final moments, where Lake Norman (30-1), which got in the video game along with 210 3-pointers on the year however had actually simply hit pair of within this game, located on its own grinding its own rival to a stop.

Wakefield trailed by 2, 35-33, after 3 fourths yet didn't credit rating until 2:23 remaining.

The Wildcats, rather than hoisting off of 3, were content to milk the clock while the Wolverines (26-4) were actually trying seriously to receive a turn over and quick basket.

A full court press by Wakefield led to a throwaway, which Lyla Bagwell later exchanged a 3 along with 1:24 delegated to reduce the lead to 41-38.

Pond Norman threw it away on the next ownership. Wakefield phoned a timeout, then put together another Bagwell 3 that connected it at 41-all with 31 seconds to go.

That put together one last property by Lake Norman along with the video game tied at 41-all. Kelsey Rhyne, one more one of the 7, caught the incoming and also inflicted Alexis Shehan in the high post. Minard, who had screened earlier in the set, darted backdoor for the layup as time went out.

In the beginning, Lake Norman had its means and also led 14-9 after the 1st one-fourth. Wakefield took a quick lead in the 2nd and cut the cause 26-21 at halftime.

On Thursday, second-seeded Pond Norman beat top-seeded McDowell 58-52 in the 4A West regional last while second-seeded Wakefield beat top-seeded Hoggard 31-23 in the 4A East local final. Those games were likewise at "the Joel" as component of the ultimate 4 format.

The NCHSAA has three honors after every game: the Kay Yow MVP to the game's overall absolute best efficiency, adhered to through East and West MVPs.

Minard, who comes off the bench for Pond Norman, was actually the Kay Yow MVP with 10 points on 4-of-9 capturing and also three steals. Alexis Shehan was actually the West MVP with 13 aspects as well as eight rebounds.

Wakefield's Bagwell was actually the East MVP. She do with 13 points (4-of-10 firing) and 6 rebounds.

Before the video game, each crew recognized its own sportsmanship honor winner for the season: Addison Sirianni from Pond Norman and also Jaya Hamilton-Jordan coming from Wakefield.

LKN 14-12-9-8 43

WKF 9-12-12-8 41

Lake Norman: Kaiya Bond 6, Kelsey Rhyne 5, Rayana Minard 10, Alexis Shehan 13, Samantha Shehan 9

Wakefield: Sydney Conti 6, Lyla Bagwell 13, Nicole Amend 2, Heaven Briggs 1, Jaya Hamilton 10, Maddison McIntyre 8, Aly Schaffer 3,