Westwood advances to GISA girls basketball title game

MACON — After losing by one point in the GISA Class 2A championship game a year ago, the Westwood girls basketball team has lived and breathed by the word “redemption.”

The chance of redemption and winning that state championship came one game closer Friday afternoon as Westwood defeated Robert Toombs 71-46 in the Class 2A semifinals at Mercer’s Hawkins Arena.

Westwood (27-0) faces Brentwood, a 51-48 overtime winner over Crisp Academy, at 2 p.m. on Saturday for the state title at Hawkins Arena.

“The only thing that we have thought about all year long is what happened in the state championship game a year ago,” said junior Karlie Jones, who scored a game-high 17 points for Westwood. “We don’t want that same feeling we had last year after we lost, and I think everyone on this team would tell you that we expected to be in this situation again this year. Honestly, it has always been the plan.”

Westwood came out on fire and used a 12-0 run midway through the first quarter to grab a 20-6 lead. Abby Santos had eight of those points, including two 3-pointers.

Robert Toombs settled down, however, and made it a game. It trailed 37-28 at the half and immediately cut the lead to only five at 39-34 early in the third quarter, prompting acting Westwood head coach Gail Lee to call a timeout.

“I basically told them it was our game to lose and they still have to catch us,” said Lee, who took over for the suspended Derrick Harris midway through the season. “I have coached these girls a long time, some of them since they were in the fifth grade, and I just told them it was time to play our game and time to play to our potential.”

The timeout by Lee worked, as Brianna Thompson scored six quick points to spark a 13-6 run, giving Westwood a 52-40 lead heading into the final quarter.

Any chances of a comeback quickly ended as Westwood turned up the pressure and used another big run to put the game away.

Santos, who has played in the GISA Final Four for three straight years, ended with 16 points, including the huge 3–pointers early in the game.

“I am kind of known as the 3 shooter on the team, and I started the year off shooting well but then kind of slumped,” Santos said. “I pretty much knew it was time to pick it up again, and after I hit the first one I just wanted to keep shooting. But it seemed like everyone on the team was as hot as I was.”

Westwood had two other players in double figures as Gracie Pollock scored 11 points and McKenlee Coleman had 10.

Robert Toombs, which ends the season at 21-6, was led by Cassi Heath with 16 points.