The Trinity Christian Lady Lions punched their ticket to the Georgia High School Elite Eight with a thrilling 49-42 victory over Westover last Friday.
This Sweet-16 game at the Lion’s Den was an intense battle; the Lady Lions led the entire way and maintained their advantage by following the game plan. Westover made a surge late, but Trinity Christian secured the win.
Madison Morge led the Lady Lions with 16 points, Julia Susla followed with 12, and Kyva Holloway had 10. SeAnna Johnson sealed the deal with a clutch three-pointer in the final quarter.
Morge's dominant performance was crucial to the Lions' success. She repeatedly executed her signature move of driving through the baseline. Morge repeatedly penetrated the Westover defense to score and draw fouls to get to the free-throw line.
Susla's shooting prowess was on full display as she sank three three-pointers to keep Westover's defense honest. Her game hit a new level in the fourth quarter of the region championship game against Fayette County and has continued to rise.
Holloway's presence was also key, predicting the opponents’ offensive movements and stealing the ball for easy breakaways.
But Johnson's dagger three-pointer in the final quarter put the game out of reach for Westover. With the shot clock winding down, Johnson pulled up to the arc and drilled the shot, sending the crowd into a frenzy and securing the Lions' spot in the Elite Eight.
“We talked a lot about playing from the inside out, smart, tough and disciplined, playing from the heart. Our kids were all heart and no quit tonight," reflected Coach Joe Daniels.
Trinity Christian will now face off against Holy Innocents this week with the opportunity to advance to the Final-4.
The Final-4 game will be at Four Valley State University on Saturday at 6 p.m.
