Ponce de Leon wins inaugural Rural girls basketball title

LAKELAND — It can be debated elsewhere whether the Ponce de Leon or Newberry girls basketball teams would have reached the Final Four under the previous classification system.

What can’t be argued is that the Pirates and Panthers staged a memorable championship game Wednesday morning to provide the inaugural Rural 1A state champion.

Ponce de Leon built a 23-point lead early in the third quarter, then survived an incredible Newberry comeback to claim the title, 55-52 at The Lakeland Center.

The outcome wasn’t decided until Lasharrah Nattiel, who led Newberry with 19 points, missed two free throws with 2 seconds left. One second later, JoJo Carlson made the first of two free throws to clinch the crown for the Pirates, 28-2.

“For me as a coach, I honestly feel like my kids work hard, too, as do Newberry’s kids,” PDL coach Tim Alford said of the new 1A class. “All the games here were competitive, it (Rural classification) was a great opportunity for kids.

“I noticed in one of the other classifications the region final score was like 73-6. We didn’t have that down here.”

Slightly more than a minute into the third quarter PDL led 32-9, and still was in command 41-21 about 4 minutes later. That’s when Newberry, 27-3, regrouped for a final charge.

“We got a little bit not trying to lose and they began to beat us to the ball and got some easy opportunities,” Alford said.

Averaging a point a minute to that juncture Newberry poured in 31 during the next 11 minutes to outscore the Pirates by 20 points. Tayla McGee’s basket pulled the Panthers within 54-52 with 13 seconds remaining.

Kate Carroll, who was eight for 12 at the free-throw line to that point, missed two with 8 seconds left and Nattiel rebounded. She was fouled by Ashley Harper, her fifth, with 2 seconds showing.

After missing the first free throw, Nattiel committed a violation while trying to intentionally miss the second. Carlson’s free throw provided the final, the Pirates 24-36 at the line despite making only three of their last eight.

Post player Jazz Flock led the way for PDL with 26 points and 12 rebounds. She was equally adept from the field (8 of 11) and the line (10-12). Jordan Thomas scored 12 points and Carroll had eight points and five assists.

Nattiel scored 11 of her team-high 19 points during Newberry’s surge and supplied a game-high 15 rebounds. McGee had 13 points and Jasmine Walker seven points and 10 rebounds.

Ponce de Leon led 9-6 after one quarter, but already had committed nine turnovers. By the time the Pirates committed their 10th they were leading 30-9. Solid rebounding helped negate that disparity, PDL with a 24-12 edge on the boards by halftime while outscoring Newberry 19-3 in the second quarter.

“The turnovers were just nerves, kids playing for a state championship,” Alford said. “Rebounding got us through early and we stuck to the game plan and I thought did a good job defensively.”

It was Ponce de Leon’s second state title under Alford, the first coming in 2000 in Class 2A. If he harbored any delusions at that time they would come easy, he’s certainly changed his perspective.

“These are so hard to come by,” he said. “I’m really happy with the Rural league. It gave our kids a chance and their kids, too. This is good for us.”

• NEWBERRY (52)
• Curtis 0-3 0-0 0, Rowe 1-3 0-0 2, Nattiel 7-20 3-6 19, Davis 1-9 4-6 6, Robinson 0-0 0-0 0, Douglas 0-2 0-0 0 , Walker 3-3 1-2 7, McGee 5-10 2-6 13, Rutledge 1-10 2-2 5. Totals: 18-60 12-22 52.
• PDL (55)
• Bass 0-4 0-0 0, Harper 1-10 0-0 3, Carlson 1-3 3-4 5, Thomas 4-8 2-4 12, Carroll 0-2 8-14 8, Mayo 0-0 0-0 0, Flock 8-11 10-12 26, Brown 0-0 1-2 1, Alford 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-38 24-36 55.
• Newberry 6 3 24 19 — 52
• Ponce de Leon 9 19 19 8 — 55
• 3-point goals: Newberry 4-22 (Nattiel 2-7, McGee 1-5, Rutledge 1-5, Davis 0-3, Douglas 0-2), PDL 3-17 (Thomas 2-5, Harper 1-6, Bass 0-3, Carlson 0-1, Flock 0-1, Carroll 0-1). Rebounds: Newberry 40 (Nattiel 15, Walker 10), PDL 35 (Flock 12, Harper 6). Assists: Newberry 4 (Nattiel 2), PDL 14 (Carroll 5). Total fouls: Newberry 26, PDL 15. Fouled out: Newberry (Rowe), PDL (Harper).