Shauna Cook
The Corsair
Saturday, Feb. 10 was the 2012 FCSAA/NJCAA REGION VIII State Championship game between #2 seed Pensacola State Lady Pirates and #1 seed Gulf Coast Lady Commodores in Marianna, Fla. at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center Chipola College.
The Lady Pirates took the Championship with a 64-60 victory and were named the 2012 FCSAA/NJCAA REGION VIII Champions.
The starting line-up for Pensacola State was Sophomore PG/G from Natchitoches, La #3 Brandy Broome, Sophomore PG/G from Washington, DC #5 Ronika Ransford, Sophomore G/F from Pensacola #15 Jasmine Richardson, Sophomore PG/G from Dale City, Va #22 Kyana Jacobs, and Freshman G/F from East St. Louis, Ill TeAndrea Smith.
The starting line-up for Gulf Coast was Sophomore Guard from Decatur, Ala. #22 Britney McCloud, Sophomore Guard from Statesville, NC #30 Keyrra Gillespie, Freshman Guard from St. Petersburg #32 Tamara Taylor, Sophomore Center from Raleigh, NC #34 Markeisha Gatling, and Sophomore G/F from Lagos, Nigeria #45 Ugu Ugoka.
Starting off the game, Lady Pirate Jacobs was fouled putting her on the line to score a free throw putting PSC 1-0 at 18:22. Then Lady Pirate Ransford scored and put Pensacola State ahead giving the Lady Pirates a three point lead (3-0).
Halfway through the first half, the Lady Commodores were able to tie up the game 12-12 at 9:21. Lady Pirate Broome would score off of a steal and assist by Jacobs putting Pensacola State up by 2 (14-12) but not before Lady Commodore Johnson could score to tie it up 14-14 at 8:18.
With 6:38 on the clock, The Lady Commodores managed to take the lead from the Lady Pirates and take control for the rest of the first half leaving the score 38-27 at half-time.
The scorers in the first half for the Lady Pirates were Broome with 10 points, Jacobs with 6, Richardson with 5, and Ellison, Ransford, and Smith all with 2.
The scorers for the Lady Commodores in the first half were Ugoka with 14 points, White and Taylor both with 6, Gatling and Johnson both with 4, and McCloud and Gillespie both with 2.
In the second half, the Pensacola State Lady Pirates came out playing hard and determined to catch up. Within the first three minutes of the second half, Ransford scored 2, Jacobs scored 2, and Broome hit a 3 to leave the Lady Pirates down only by 6 (34-40).
It was a battle between Pensacola State and Gulf Coast with both teams taking turns to score. With 12:26 on the clock, the Lady Pirates kicked it up and were bound and determined to catch up with the score at 48-37 (Commodores).
Broome scored a 2 to put the score 48-39 then Ransford came in and scored 2, 2, 2, and another 2 to put the score 50-47 at 9:17.
The score is 51-49 (Gulf Coast) with 7:03 on the clock and Lady Pirate Richardson scores to tie up the game 51-51. Then it goes to a back and forth battle to score between the ladies and managed to tie it up again 58-58 at 1:33. With 1:15 left on the clock, the Lady Pirates took control and gave it their all to win the game.
The scores for the Lady Pirates were Ellison with 2 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, Broome with 23 points, 6 rebounds 1 assist and 1 steal, Ransford with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals, Davis with 2 rebounds, Richardson with 7 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist, Jacobs with 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal, Smith with 4 points and 6 rebounds, Hamilton with 2 points and 1 steal, and Watkins with 2 rebounds and 1 steal.
The scores for the Lady Commodores were White with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal, Maiga with 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal, Edmundson with 1 rebound, McCloud with 6 points and 3 rebounds, Gillespie with 3 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, Taylor with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, Gatling with 8 points and 5 rebounds, Johnson with 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, Ugoka with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Ugu Ugoka was named State Player of the Year.
There were two lead changes in the game with the largest lead being in the first half with a 14 point difference 35-21 (Commodores). There were five ties throughout the game.
The overall team stats for the game were Free Throw Pts: PSC-12 GCSC-18, Pts off Turnovers: PSC-12 GCSC-13, Total Rebounds: PSC-43 GCSC-56, Off Rebound %: PSC-52.1 GCSC-64.7, 3Pt Efficiency: PSC- -5.8 GCSC- -11.1, 3Pt Points: PSC-6 GCSC-6, Pts off Bench: PSC-4 GCSC-17, Dead Ball Reb: PSC-9 GCSC-11, Total Rebound %: PSC- 43.4 GCSC-56.6, Pts/Shot: PSC-0.76 GCSC-0.68.
Game percentages for Total FG: PSC- 25/75 33.3% GCSC- 20/77 26.0%, 3 PT FG: PSC- 2/11 18.2% GCSC- 2/20 10.0%, Free Throws: PSC- 12/19 63.2% GCSC-18/23 78.3%.
Brandy Broome, Ronika Ransford and TeAndrea Smith were all chosen for the 2011-2012 All- Conference Team. Coach Chanda Rigby was named the 2012 Coach of the Year for State which she also won last year. Brandy Broome was named Tournament MVP.
The records for the Lady Pirates 2011-2012 season is 23-4 overall, 9-3 in conference, and 3-0 State Champions.
This win has been the second championship victory for Sophomores Brandy Broome and Darnisha Hamilton who won the 2010-2011 State Championship with the Lady Pirates last season. They also attended the National Championship in Salina, KS where they placed third.
The Lady Pirates will be heading to Salina, KS for the 2011-2012 NJCAA National Tournament March 19-24.