The Roswell girls are in the state quarterfinals for the first time in 32 years, and No. 1-ranked North Gwinnett is headed home.
Surviving a dud of a third quarter, when it failed to make a single field goal, Roswell (22-7) shut down North Gwinnett (22-7) in a dramatic fourth quarter to win 38-35 on Tuesday on Roswell’s Tom Zachary Court.
Roswell freshman Andreona Keys scored a team-high 12 points and made a key free throw down the stretch for the final margin of three points.
Lexi Brown, North Gwinnett’s sophomore point guard who has committed to Maryland, scored 13, but none in the fourth, when her team's only points came from Rachel Brucks’ 3-pointer for a 35-35 tie with 2:27 left. Roswell made three of six free throws in the final minute to hold on.
“We heard people say North Gwinnett was going to be in the final,’’ Roswell coach Lesley Broadwell said. “We wanted to have our say first. To hold that team to 35 points is pretty good defense.’’
With her team trailing 36-35 and 21 seconds left, Brown -- a move-in from Florida who led North Gwinnett to new heights this season -- made a nice move to the basket, but her lay-in rested on the rim for a split second, then fell off, no good.
Trailing 37-35, North Gwinnett had the ball in Brown's hands again, but was called for an illegal pick. Keys made a free throw for the 38-35 lead. North Gwinnett’s Ariel Johnson had a fair look at a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but missed.
Roswell’s tough defense was apparent from the start, when North Gwinnett missed its first seven shots and trailed 23-18 at halftime. But North outscored Roswell 14-3 in the third quarter for a 32-26 lead.
“I didn’t know we didn’t score [a field goal in the third],’’ said Olivia Gulika, a defensive specialist in the post. “I was just focused on the big girl.’’
That would be North Gwinnett’s Annie Wheeler, a Vermont signee, who was held to four points and fouled out.
For North Gwinnett, they finished a season in which they advanced a round in the state playoffs for the first time since 2000, defeated defending Class AAAAA champion Norcross twice and ascended to the No. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season.
For Roswell, it’s been something more.
Roswell’s previous trip to the quarterfinals was 1979. Roswell has not made a semifinal in girls basketball since 1963.
“It’s just an adventure with this group,’’ said senior Shanteona Keys, a senior and Andreona's big sister. “We’re still not satisfied.’’
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