Defense wins championships, even first championships.

Rocky Mount Academy now has its first N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association girls basketball title with a 43-37 win over Caldwell Academy on Friday.

It can thank one dominant quarter of defense for that.

Rocky Mount Academy (22-0), the No. 1 seed in the 2A bracket, trailed 21-20 at halftime but shutout Caldwell Academy (12-6) in the third quarter and outscored the opposite Eagles 10-0 in the period.

Caldwell Academy fell behind 30-21 going into the fourth quarter, but senior point guard Caroline Kelley came alive with all 11 of points in the final period.

Deidre Deregowski also scored 11 for Caldwell Academy.

Caldwell Academy eventually tied the game with 2:33 to go on a pair of Summer Hitchcock free throws to make it 32-all.

However, Rocky Mount Academy had the final push with a McKenna Rogers free throw a few seconds later to lead by one. Then, up 33-32 and on a fast break with 1:20 remaining, Rocky Mount Academy’s Taylor Carmichael swished a 3-pointer to give her team the final cushion needed and a knockout blow to Caldwell Academy’s comeback efforts.

Carmichael and Berekely Miller each scored a game-high 15 points in the victory.

BOX SCORE
Caldwell Academy — Caroline Kelley 11, Deirdre Derengowski 11, Naomi Roland 4, Stella Streng 4, Summer Hitchcock 2, Isley Ortmann 5
Rocky Mount Academy — Landry Miller 2, McKenna Rogers 5, Isabella Daza 4, Taylor Carmichael 15, Berekely Miller 15, Abbie Hooks 2