The Bland County girls basketball team tried simulating Franklin’s defense in the days leading up to Wednesday’s Group A Division 1 state semifinal.
Throwing three extra defenders on the court, though, did little to prepare the Bears.
Franklin’s harassing pressure defense turned a close game into a rout, leading the Broncos to a 72-42 victory Wednesday afternoon at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center.
The Broncos (23-1) rolled into the program’s first state championship game since winning a Group AA crown in 1986. In Saturday’s 11 a.m. state title game, Franklin plays Buffalo Gap, a 50-44 winner over Twin Valley in the other semifinal.
The Broncos led by four points at halftime but forced the Bears into 11 third-quarter turnovers to seize momentum.
Kierra Lee finished with 21 points, and Keshara Bradley and Janice Holeman added 15 each for Franklin, which scored 51 points after halftime.
“They were up in your face,” Bland County’s Morgan Brizendine said. “They were really, really aggressive, and they were very physical. They could anticipate where a pass was going to go.”
Franklin trailed only twice, at 2-0 and 4-3 in the first quarter. The Broncos’ lead was 32-28 with 2:55 left in the third quarter, then they a forced a flurry of turnovers and scored on easy baskets to leave Bland behind.
Lee’s layup ignited a 9-0 run in the final two minutes of the third quarter. Seven points came off turnovers, including a 3-pointer by Bradley with 40 seconds remaining.
“Once we got the press, we stopped them and played our game,” Bradley said.
Added coach Mona Sumblin, “That’s what we do: press the ball and look for turnovers, look for steals.”
The Bears (14-15), making their first state tournament appearance, committed 21 turnovers after halftime. Not even eight-on-five scrimmages during practice this week had Bland ready.
Coach Jason Lambert said his team also was ill-prepared for how physical the bigger, more athletic Broncos were.
“You just can’t simulate how aggressive and how physical they are,” Lambert said. “Other than bringing in a wrestling team, I don’t know what we could’ve done.”
Both teams struggled early offensively, and after five minutes it was 4-4.
Franklin inched ahead by scoring on four of five possessions after that, and Bland got no closer than one point the rest of the way.
Lee spearheaded the Broncos’ 51-point second half, scoring 17.
“We just had to focus,” Lee said. “I wasn’t focused at first. I got in and played my game the second half.”
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