St. Pius girls coach Kyle Snipes wasn’t sure this year’s Golden Lions had what it takes to defend their state championship. He was wrong.
St. Pius overcame an alarming start and got 23 points from superstar Asia Durr to beat Buford, 48-45, in the AAA state championship game Saturday in Macon. It’s the Lions’ second straight state title championship and fifth in school history, all coming in the last 10 years. But it was anything but easy.
Durr, the nation’s top-rated junior prospect, missed her first six shots, and the Lions started the game 0-for-11 overall. They didn’t hit their first field goal until Obi Okafor’s made a layup with 20 second left in the first quarter. By that time, Buford led 15-3.
Durr got going in the second quarter, hitting three 3-pointers to get St. Pius back in the game. Miah Allen gave the Lions their first lead with a corner 3 with 40 seconds left in the half.
“I knew we just needed to get a couple stops and the shots would start falling,” said Durr, who has offers from nearly all the premier college programs in women’s basketball.
Buford never regained the lead, but stayed close, behind 14 points from Camille Anderson and 13 from Bree Horrocks. Horrocks scored six of her points in the fourth quarter, including a turnaround jumper in the pant that cut the St. Pius lead to 47-45 with 14 seconds to play.
The Lions’ Jasmine Carter hit a free throw to push the lead to three with 9.5 seconds left, and Buford was unable to get off a potential tying 3-pointer on its final possession.
“We fought this team all season,” said Snipes. “I think we felt that since we went up to Buford and beat them last season (in the state quarterfinals) as sophomores that this season was just going to be a walk. I complained to our coaching staff all season about our defense. At times this season, we just looked bored. I didn’t know if we had it. But once the playoffs came around everything started to click and we turned it up.”
Carter added 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Lions, who finish 30-3. Allen had nine on three 3-pointers and also battled for seven rebounds.
Buford’s Corey Staples finished seven points, and Tara Dambach added six for the Wolves (30-3), who were playing in their fifth championship game in the last six seasons.
"This group of seniors did a lot for this program," said Buford coach Gene Durden. "They made sure we did things the right way, went out and played hard and made sure that we love each other. I can't say enough about them."
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