Parkland tops Hickory Ridge in OT

Parkland bounced back from an early punch and some late heartbreak to survive and advance in the NCHSAA Class 3-A girls basketball playoffs last night.

Harrisburg Hickory Ridge staged a valiant rally to force overtime, coming back from a seven-point deficit in the final 1:18 of regulation, but Parkland relied on superior size, dogged determination and an energized Jazmin Cromartie to pull out a 78-67 overtime win in the first round of the West Sectionals.

Coach Jon Weavil of the Mustangs said he was proud of the way his team responded in the extra period.

"The girls didn't hang their heads," Weavil said. "We've been in close games before. We've won overtime games, and they came over and said, ‘Hey, no problem, four more minutes of basketball.' They were excited about it.

"And I really thought we came out there and set the tone in overtime."

Cromartie, who finished with 28 points, scored six in the overtime, including a layup with 3:15 remaining that gave the Mustangs (20-3) the lead for good.

"She said she didn't want her season to end," Weavil said. "She got some key offensive rebounds, some key put-backs, and stepped to the free-throw line and knocked them down. That's what one of the best players in the state is supposed to do."

Akysia Resper led the Ragin' Bulls with 20 points and hit two late 3s to tie the game at the end of regulation, but she ran out of support in overtime. Hickory Ridge had four players, including three starters, foul out of the game as it struggled to contain the bigger Mustangs in the paint.

"In the overtime, we just ran out of gas -- we didn't have any more people," Coach Tony Walters of Hickory Ridge said.

Parkland, with a decided size advantage, pounded the boards relentlessly and finished with 48 rebounds against 31 for Hickory Ridge. Walters said that was the key statistic of the game.

"You can't teach size," Walters said. "Size kills. They say speed kills, and we're fast and we like to get into a transition game, but if you can't get the rebound, you can't get there."

Hickory Ridge, in its second season as a program, played with veteran savvy early. The Bulls confounded the taller Mustangs with a 1-3-1 zone press, forcing some early turnovers as they took a 16-9 lead midway through the first quarter.

"They really gave us a good punch in the first quarter," Weavil said.

The Mustangs quickly bounced back, however. Parkland trimmed the deficit to three points at 20-17 by the end of the first quarter, then patiently worked the ball inside in the second quarter to take a 31-30 halftime lead.

The game stayed close and the lead exchanged hands several times before Hickory Ridge grabbed a four-point lead at 47-43 with 7:05 left in the fourth quarter.

Parkland then seized the initiative, going on a 13-2 run and taking a 56-49 lead with 2:10 remaining in regulation. Cromartie had eight points in the run.

But the Bulls weren't finished. Candra Mathis hit a free throw and then hit a layup to cut the deficit to four at 56-52 with 1:18 left. After Parkland made a free throw, Resper hit a 2-pointer with 1:03 left to make it a three-point game.

Parkland made 3 of 4 from the line to extend its lead to six, and then Resper took over. She hit a 3 with 32.4 seconds left to make the score 60-57. After a turnover, Resper hit another 3 with 16 seconds left to tie the game.

Parkland missed a shot with 10 seconds left in regulation and the Bulls got the rebound. Resper got another 3 off, but it missed and the game went to overtime.

The Bulls took an early lead in the overtime on a 3 by Ashleigh English, but the Mustangs kept pounding the ball inside and dominating the boards.

Cromartie's layup with 3:15 left put Parkland up for good, and the Mustangs pulled away down the stretch by making 12 free throws in the final two minutes.

Cromartie wasn't the only Mustang who sparkled. Victoria Davis added 20 points, Alicia Penn scored 12 and J'Mia Pollock finished with 10 points.

Weavil said he was especially pleased with the defense that Penn played on the lightning-quick Resper, who was slowed down for long stretches in the game, including much of the overtime.

"Alicia Penn has been our X-factor all year," Weavil said. "I felt like she really made Resper work hard for everything she got. I wouldn't trade her for anybody in the state."

Hickory Ridge finished its season at 17-9. They went 11-5 in the rugged Southern Piedmont Conference.

Parkland advanced to Thursday night's second round where the Mustangs will play Concord at home.

Hickory Ridge 20 10 11 19 7 --- 67
Parkland 17 14 10 19 18 -- 78

Hickory Ridge (17-9): McLean 10, Englis 14, Tanguay 4, Mathis 10, Resper 20, Strode 9

Parkland (20-3): Surratt 2, Morgan 6, Penn 12, Davis 20, Pollock 10, Cromartie 28