HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: STATE TOURNAMENT: CLASS AAAAA GIRLS: REDAN 62, DULUTH 50: Andrews drives rally by Raiders


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/07/08

Alisha Andrews scored 28 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made seven steals to lead Redan to a 62-50 victory against Duluth on Thursday at Gwinnett Arena.

Redan (24-7) advanced to the Class AAAAA championship game for the second time in four years.

Andrews, in her first season with Redan after transferring from Avondale, brought the Raiders back from a 27-13 second-quarter deficit. Her 3-point basket started a 12-0 run that trimmed Duluth's lead to 27-25 at halftime.

Andrews hit consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at 35 with five minutes left in the third quarter, and her steal led to a three-point play for Kelli Riles that gave the Raiders their first lead of the game. Riles finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

"[Andrews] is an awesome player," Redan coach Rhonda Malone said. "She's like the quarterback out there for us."

Andrews wasn't done. She followed Riles' field goal with a layup at the beginning of the fourth quarter to put Redan ahead 44-42. The Raiders wouldn't trail again. Andrews scored after a missed shot; Riles added a basket; and Nia Evans, who scored 16, took a beautiful feed from Andrews for a basket that capped an 8-2 run and put Redan ahead 50-44.

"[Andrews] does a lot for us," Malone said. "These are the things we've been doing all season."

Duluth (21-10) moved to a 13-2 lead in the first quarter, and Daphne Adebayo scored five of her team-high 14 points to give the Wildcats an 18-8 lead, which eventually reached 27-13. The Wildcats were making their first tournament appearance in 32 years.

"It was a heck of a run," Duluth coach Jeremy Huckaby said.

"And I'm proud of what we did.