MACON – For the second time in three years, the McEachern Lady Indians can call themselves state champions. Behind strong performances from juniors Te’a Cooper and Caliya Robinson, the Lady Indians defeated the Archer Lady Tigers 81-62 in the Class AAAAAA championship on Saturday at the Macon Centerplex.
Cooper – a guard and North Carolina commit – set the tone for the Lady Indians (28-2) with 15 first-quarter points and finished the game with 17, while Robinson, a center, maintained the pace to lead the team with 20 points.
McEachern controlled the game with a full-court press and 3-point shooting. The press played a big role in Archer’s 23 turnovers. The Lady Indians scored 28 points off those turnovers and finished with 16 fast break points.
Cooper, Robinson and Jada Lewis combined to go 9-for-14 from the 3-point line in a game McEachern never trailed.
Cooper started the game hot, scoring the Lady Indians’ first seven points, and she hit all three of her 3-pointers in the first quarter to guide McEachern to a 21-16 lead. However, she and Robinson both picked up their third fouls in the second quarter and went to the bench for the remainder of the half, which allowed Archer to keep the game close. The Lady Indians led 39-35 at halftime.
The Lady Indians broke the game open in the second half on a 19-8 run and gradually pulled away from there, leading by as many as 26 points. McEachern led 64-46 after three quarters.
Lewis finished with 14 points, Robinson led the team with 11 rebounds and six blocks and Aunesha Williams had eight points and four steals. Cooper and Lewis each had five assists.
Saturday’s win put the Lady Indians back on top after a sluggish 2013 season that saw the then-defending champions exit in the first round. In 2012, they finished 33-0 on their way to a AAAAA title.
The Lady Tigers (29-4), who were seeking the first state title in program history, were led by junior guard Madison Newby, who scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting but had 11 turnovers to just four assists. Autumn Newby scored 20 points and pulled down 15 rebounds.
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