COTTONDALE – Jazz Flock scored 16 of her game high 20 points in the first half to help lead the Ponce De Leon Lady Pirates to a 56-38 victory over Graceville on Friday night in the District 3-1A title game.
With the win, the Lady Pirates move to 25-2 on the year and complete a perfect 12-0 district season.
PDL will get to host its first round playoff game in the 1A state tournament against Port St. Joe on Thursday night.
Graceville, which was without leading scorer Wynterra Pittman after the senior forward got hurt in Friday’s semifinal win over Cottondale, will have to go on the road Thursday night to take on South Walton.
“We were pleased with the overall effort and real proud of the girls,” Lady Pirates coach Tim Alford said after the game. “We’re obviously happy, and the kids played hard. But we know Graceville was missing a very good player in Wynterra, which was a tough break for them. They’re a different team when she’s out there.”
PDL took full advantage of her absence on the interior, with the 6 foot, 1 inch center Flock scoring from inside and out in the first half, including knocking down two 3-pointers.
Flock scored eight of the first 12 points for PDL to help the Lady Pirates jump out to a 12-2 run to start the game.
Zay Henderson broke up the run with a 3-pointer for Graceville, but PDL responded with consecutive triples from Ashley Harper and Deliah Bass to make it 18-5 in what was a sign of what was to come.
The Lady Pirates made seven from long distance on the night, utilizing the size and skill that made them unbeatable against league competition all year.
Flock’s first triple of the game made it 24-9 with 6:52 left in the half, but five straight points by Tiara Sorey got the Lady Tigers back to within 10 at 24-14.
PDL answered with a 9-2 run of its own, though, and Flock’s second 3-pointer made it 33-16 with 2:07 remaining in the first half.
A basket by Henderson to start the third cut the margin to 12, but a 3-pointer by Harper, two free throws by Flock, and a bucket by Kate Carroll made it 40-21 and dashed hopes of a Lady Tigers comeback.
Threes by JoJo Carlson and August Brown to close the third period gave the Lady Pirates a 48-25 lead, and Alford started taking his starters out midway through the fourth.
Harper finished with 11 points on the night, and Jordan Thomas had six.
Sorey led Graceville with 12 points, with Henderson adding 11.
The Lady Tigers fell to 15-10 with the loss.
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