Frisco Liberty 44, College Station 41 – OT
Lily Ziemkiewicz was dialed in from long-range in the second half.
The junior 5-10 guard converted a key three that sent the game into overtime and proved to be a key moment for the Redhawks, escaping with a 44-41 victory
“I realized I had open looks and I needed to go up,” Ziemkiewicz said.
The win saw the Redhawks return to their second straight state title game, but as a new and young roster.
“It’s a different kind of enjoyment,” Frisco Liberty head coach Ross Reedy said. “When your around new people, it doesn’t matter if it’s a new relationship, friend or a whole new team or coaches, it makes you figure out something about yourself. You have to adjust and teach in a new kind of way.
What’s been really cool about our youth is the fact that these girls have been around each other for a long time and play for the same team. Young teams are frustrating early in the year, and I think they [the players] could say the coaches are frustrating too, but they are a lot of fun at the end of the year.”
College Station stormed to the lead early in the opening quarter, leading 5-2. The three point shooting was working in the first half, shooting four-for-seven from long range.
Liberty adjusted their long-range shooting defense quickly in the second half. Only allowing the Lady Cougars to shoot 31 percent from three-point land and holding Mia Rivers to no points in the second half.
San Antonio Veteran’s Memorial 45, Mansfield Timberview 44
Rebounds were a key part of the game and it showed.
Brenna Perez came in key and was able to give Veteran’s Memorial an extra possession and ended up being the game-winning possession as Rheina Williams converted the layup from the low post that gave the Lady Patriots a 45-44 victory over Timberview.
Timberview had an opportunity to win the game, but the Lady Patriot defense came in key with a block from Jones to seal the victory from a Lady Wolf baseline inbound in their own half of the court.
Both teams felt each other early, and matched point-for-point on the floor, proving a fun match-up to watch in the first half.
In their second trip in school history, Veteran’s Memorial is now 2-0 in semifinal games and will look to redeem themselves, where they lost to Argyle in the 2018 state title game, and will be in the 5A state title game, where they face Frisco Liberty at 1:30 p.m., on Saturday.
