Pelham girls sink Manchester to make state semifinals

PELHAM — With three seconds left in the first quarter, Destiny Thomas pulled up just behind the 3-point line, stopped, then launched the ball as time expired, stripping the net.

Then seconds into the second quarter, Thomas again launched another 3-pointer that swished the net, sending the Pelham High School gymnasium into a frenzy.

After their season ended the past three seasons in the state quarterfinals, this one felt good.

And they’ll be talking about it one for a while.

Pelham scored a 70-44 victory over Manchester Wednesday night in the Class AA state tournament quarterfinals, ending three years of heartbreak in the quarterfinal round.

“I’ve been in this round three times,” said Timbreanna Hudson, who finished with eight points but played perhaps her best game of the season in the paint.

“This feels good. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to do something we’ve never done.”

The Lady Hornets (28-1) advance to meet Class AA powerhouse and Region 6-AA champion Holy Innocents in the state semifinals Friday afternoon at the Lumpkin Center at Columbus State.

But it was clearly Thomas who provided the dagger with back-to-back 3-pointers.

She gave Pelham a double-figure lead, one they never relinquished in a game that seemed more-lopsided than the score indicated.

“My coach had told me that when you shoot, shoot with confidence,” said Thomas, who finished with 10 points.

“When you shoot, you have to know that it’s going in. I was feeling it, so I kept shooting.”

Her baskets cut down a scrappy Manchester squad that kept itself in the game until Pelham opened the second half by sinking a pair of baskets, one each from Quadranique Franklin and Hudson. Franklin then hit one of two free throws to push the Lady Hornets’ lead to 45-25.

Manchester’s Brittany Davis sank a basket to end Pelham’s mini-run at the 5:20 mark before the Lady Hornets closed the quarter on a pair of Mahogany Randle lay ups to build a 53-33 advantage.

The Lady Angels cut the deficit to 17 early in the final quarter but that was as close as they could get.

Even coach Antonia Tookes, known for her fiery outbursts during games, had to smile about this one.

“Four years of trying to get past the elite eight, we finally got there,” she said. “My stomach tightened up and I just had to let it go. I’m so happy for our seniors.”

Randle led the Lady Hornets with 19 points, while Briunna Freeman, who played most of the first half in foul trouble, finished with 18. Franklin and Thomas each finished with 10.

The victory ignited a raucous Pelham fan base that is expected to fill its half of the Lumpkin Center on Friday.

Tookes said she couldn’t say enough about Hudson, who thwarted Manchester’s inside game with her towering presence.

“I lit a fire under her and she came to play tonight,” Tookes said. “She came out and showed who she really was.”