McEachern’s Patches Roberts scored eight points during a 15-0 run midway through the second quarter to lead the Indians to a 65-56 victory against Mill Creek in the Class AAAAA girls basketball semifinals at Gwinnett Arena on Thursday.
Roberts converted two three-point plays and had three steals that led to points as the Indians went from a 23-15 deficit to a 30-23 lead. Roberts had 12 points in the quarter and finished with a game-high 23.
“I just didn’t want to lose,” Roberts said. “It was just a feeling in my gut. Losing was not an option.”
The victory puts fifth-ranked McEachern (25-6) in Friday’s 7 p.m. championship game against defending champion Norcross. McEachern, which is making its first appearance in a title game, is the first girls team from the Cobb County school system to reach the finals since Lassiter in 2001. McEachern and Norcross met in the first game of the season on Nov. 20, with Norcross taking a 56-51 victory.
The teams traded scoring runs through the first 10 minutes. McEachern trailed 15-8 before scoring seven consecutive points to tie the game, then Mill Creek went on an 8-0 run for a 23-15 lead. That’s when Roberts took control. And once the Indians got the lead, they never trailed again.
Brittany Hodges and Kayla Montgomery carried McEachern through the early part of the game. Hodges had seven points in the first quarter and Montgomery had six for the Indians, who trailed 15-13 entering the second period. Montgomery was the only other Indian in double figures, finishing with 11 points.
McEachern’s Dominique Wilson was held to seven points in limited playing time. She picked up her third foul with 2:23 remaining in the first quarter and sat out the rest of the half, and she injured her ankle on a drive in the third quarter. Arthur said immediately after the game that Wilson was probable to play in the championship game but that she would need to consult with the trainer.
“I told [Roberts] at halftime we did not need her to hide,” Arthur said. “We needed her to take over, and she did. They were a little worried when Dominique went out. She kept trying to go back in, but we just didn’t want to take a chance. So Patches took over, and she did what she had to do.”
Freshman Jasmine Carter had 16 points to lead Mill Creek. The Hawks finished 18-14, winning six of their last eight games after being 12-12 in mid-February.
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